Julio Urias’ next start for Dodgers will be NLCS Game 4 or 5
LOS ANGELES — After pitching in relief in Game 2, Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias will start either Game 4 or 5 at Dodger Stadium.
Following Game 2, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Urias’ relief appearance would not affect his next start – “no, not at all,” Roberts said at the time. But Monday, he said Urias’ next start would depend on how he felt in the days after his relief appearance and where the Dodgers are in the series.
Urias was at the stadium for Monday’s optional workout and played catch briefly in the outfield.
If the Dodgers lose Game 3 on Tuesday afternoon, Urias would almost certainly start Game 4 – his third appearance in seven days. If the Dodgers win Game 3 behind Walker Buehler, Urias could move back to Game 5, giving him an extra day of rest.
“There’s going to be a bullpen game Game 4 or Game 5,” Roberts said. “We knew that going in. So now it’s what puts Julio in the best chance to be most effective and that’s kind of knowing that Max (Scherzer) is going to start Game 6.”
If the best-of-seven series goes the distance, Scherzer would be lined up to pitch on five days of rest in Game 6 and Buehler on four days of rest in Game 7 – with Urias likely to be available out of the bullpen in either.
TURNER STATUS
Third baseman Justin Turner was not in the Dodgers’ starting lineup for Game 2 in Atlanta. It was the first time in 77 postseason games he did not start for the Dodgers.
Roberts said Turner was at the stadium Monday getting treatment for the “stinger” in his neck that kept him out of the lineup.
“I don’t anticipate him doing much baseball activity,” Roberts said. “But he feels better than he did yesterday. So my expectation is he’ll be in the lineup tomorrow (for Game 3).”
BUBBLE UP
A year ago, the Dodgers spent 34 days in the “bubble,” playing all of their postseason games after the wild-card series with the Milwaukee Brewers at the same neutral site – Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
This year, the postseason has returned to normal, bringing with it the challenges of travel and home-field advantages. The Dodgers have already played five of their first eight postseason games on the road and made one cross-country round trip.
“I don’t know if I would ever say I really missed the bubble a lot,” Buehler said with a smile. “But certainly some of the travel and the stuff that that puts on you as a player, as a staff, as a coach, as a human – I think it’s something that you kind of forget when you don’t do it for a year.
“There’s a lot more that goes into winning the playoffs than just the games. I think handling the travel, handling nutrition, things like that are huge. In the bubble, we didn’t really have to worry about that kind of stuff.”
Buehler said there has been “kind of a re-adjustment period” to the familiar rigors playing deep into October.
“We’ve done this a few times before,” he said. “So hopefully we’ll settle back into it and start winning some games.”
ALSO
Buehler said he got “a little sick in San Francisco” but declined to be specific. He did travel back from Atlanta ahead of the team on Sunday night, typical for upcoming starting pitchers.
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