As a surprise to no one, at least not to those who have been closely monitoring the news that Dodgers top left-handed pitching prospect Julio Urias had been flown to Los Angeles to have his ailing left shoulder examined by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neil ElAttrache, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman confirmed on Friday afternoon that the 20-year-old Culiacan, Mexico will undergo season-ending surgery on his left anterior capsule. The surgery will be performed by Dr. ElAttrache on Tuesday morning, June 27.

According to Friedman, the injury occurred on a single pitch and not as a result of prolonged pitching or due to his young age; this supported by the fact that the Dodgers have had the young left-hander on a very strict innings limit and pitch count since signing him as a 16-year-old international free agent on August 17, 2012.

“It was an acute injury, which means it happened on a pitch,” Friedman said. “The fact that it’s not wear and tear that’s happened over years makes his prognosis that much better. Dr. ElAttrache is really confident that we’ll be able to take care of this and get him back in a couple months.”

Urias was 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in his five starts with the Dodgers this season. He was optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 21, where he went 3-0 with an outstanding 2.59 ERA before making that fateful pitch.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

When pressed about that couple months thing, Friedman was a bit more specific.

“The prognosis is around 12 months to return to play, our mindset is kind of 12 to 14,” he said. “We’ll definitely error on the side of caution as we’re building him back. But so much of that is going to be determined by the rehab process, but we feel pretty confident that he’ll pitch for us next year.”

The Dodgers president of baseball operations said that Urias first noticed discomfort in his left shoulder during his last outing with the team’s Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City Dodgers on June 10 against the Round Rock Express (Rangers). During that outing Urias allowed two runs on five hits – including a home run – while walking one and striking out eight in his 5.2 innings of work.

“It was his last outing. He felt it on a pitch and said he felt discomfort and said a little bit of ‘tugging’ was the word he used,” Friedman said. “It didn’t rise to the level of saying anything and he went back out and pitched two more innings – actually hitting 96 and 97 – and then the next morning he woke up and it was really stiff. It happened on a pitch and he knows exactly which one.”