On the same day that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced who his fifth starter would be to open the 2021 season, his number four starter, 24-year-old left-hander Julio Urías, was nothing short of brilliant.

During his pregame Zoom media briefing, Roberts said that 23-year-old right-hander Dustin May had won the competition between him, 26-year-old right-hander Tony Gonsolin, and 35-year-old veteran left-hander David Price for the fifth and final spot of his starting rotation in defense of their 2020 World Series title. Thirty-one-year-old right-hander Jimmy Nelson was also in the mix, but it was pretty much decided early on during Spring Training that he would begin the season out of the Dodgers’ very deep bullpen.

“I just feel, we feel, good with David, Jimmy, and Tony in the pen, getting left, getting right out, taking down two, three, four innings,” Roberts said. “Potentially at some point, I expect those guys to even finish a game if it makes sense. So, a lot of good thoughts, but balancing a very talented pitching staff, this was sort of the first hurdle, and I think we’re in a good spot.”

But on this day, it would be Urías who made the loudest statement, giving Roberts and his teammates a very solid 5.2 innings against the Angels of Anaheim in Game-2 of the annual three-game preseason Freeway Series at Dodger Stadium. All the Culiacan, Mexico native did was allow only one run on two hits while striking out three and walking none. In fact, Urías was perfect through his first 3.1 innings of work before surrendering his first hit – and run – to Angels pinch-hitter Phil Gosselin, who hit a solo home run to left field with one out in the fourth inning.

“Looking back, it was a very methodical Spring, very good Spring – quality outings, quality work – and we feel really good where he’s at right now,” Roberts said of Urías postgame. “He could have kept going a little bit longer, having an extra day going into Colorado, we had a chance to … with Julio, his entire mix, worked ahead all night, was really good, and I think he had that one sort of rocky first inning a few turns ago, but outside that, been really good.”

When you consider that Urías retired future Hall of Famer Mike Trout twice, the first time on a fly ball to center and the second time striking him out looking, he was indeed “…really good.”

The Dodgers will wrap up the Freeway Series – and Spring Training 2021 – on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. They will then have an off day on Wednesday before opening their 2021 season at Coors Field in Denver against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, with their ace and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw making his franchise-record ninth Opening Day start.

Play Ball!

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