When 20-year-old lefty phenom Julio Urias wasn’t in the Dodgers opening day starting rotation, Dodger fans were incensed. After all, what more could the popular Culiacan, Mexico native prove in the minor leagues, right? But within days of the first game of the 2017 season, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts assured fans and the media that the hard-throwing left-hander would probably be called up before the end of April and when he was, he was “here to stay.”

He was, but he isn’t.

Urias was indeed called up to the big club on April 27 and was, in fact, brilliant in his first three starts, allowing only two earned runs over his combined 17.0 innings of work for a ridiculous 0.95 ERA. By all accounts Roberts, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi were absolute geniuses.

…and then the bottom fell out.

Over his next two starts, Urias allow six earned run in each, while walking four and striking out only one – this from a so-called control pitcher.

On Sunday afternoon, the Dodgers optioned Urias back to Triple-A Oklahoma City and recalled right-hander Josh Ravin.

It is probably safe to say that Urias won’t be in Oklahoma City for long, but he definitely needs to work on his control issues. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

“He didn’t have command of any of his pitches,” Roberts said of Urias after Saturday night’s 10-6 loss to the NL East last place Miami Marlins. “He got behind and really didn’t have a chance to get anything going.”

In that game, Urias allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits while walking three and striking out none in only 2.1 innings of work. As you might imagine, this did not sit well with Roberts.

“The walk-to-strikeout ratio has been consistent unfortunately,” Roberts said. “You’ve got to get ahead of hitters to then give yourself a chance to be efficient and go deeper in games. I’m not sure if it’s mechanical with him, but we’ve got to figure it out.”

Asked if this meant that a flight back to OKC might be in Urias’ immediate future, Roberts was a bit vague … but only slightly.

“Anything should be on the table. Right now, we’re going to go back and reevaluate his last starts and figure out what’s best for him,” Roberts said. “Obviously we have an excess of starting pitching arms. We’ve got to have these conversations. We’ll have them tonight.”

They did and Julio is gone.

As for Ravin, he has had what can only be called a disastrous past year. After being seriously injured in a car accident during spring training 2016, Ravin received an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball for testing positive for Peptide 2, a substance banned by the MLB. The substance produces more growth hormone in the body as well as stimulate appetite.

“During 2016 spring training, I came down with a severe case of intestinal flu and strep throat,” Ravin said in a written statement released by the MLB Players Association at the time. “I was put on antibiotics and lost a total of 20 pounds in less than seven days. To try and speed up my recovery, I took some supplements that I thought would help. Unfortunately, I was not as careful as I should have been and one of the supplements contained a banned substance.

“I later learned that the substance showed up in a regular drug test done of me during 2016 spring training,” Ravin added. “This has been a very painful lesson for me. I have always tried to avoid doing anything in violation of the system and I take full responsibility for the consequences of my actions and my bad judgment. So, I have decided to accept the suspension and continue my ultimate goal to be able to pitch again in the major leagues.”

Ravin posted a 1-0 record and 1.29 ERA in his six rehab innings this season – two at Rancho Cucamonga and four at OKC. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

While many may have simply packed it in and walked away from the game, the 29-year-old West Hills, California native and former 2006 fifth-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Reds (out of Chatsworth High School) instead fought his way back to overcame seemingly impossible odds in an attempt to make it back to Dodger Stadium, where he was 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA in 19 relief appearances with 25 strikeouts and eight walks over a combined 19.0 innings pitched in 2015 and 2016.

As for the Dodgers starting rotation, right-hander Kenta Maeda is expected to be reinstated from the 10-day disabled list on Thursday, May 25 to face the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Maeda experienced left hamstring tightness after his last start on May 10. He pitched a rehab game with the Dodgers Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on May 19 in which he allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with two walks and one strikeout in 4.0 innings pitched.