After four seasons leading the league in collective ERA (2019-22), the Los Angeles Dodgers are 20th in 2023 with a 4.40 mark.
No, that’s not a typo: they are 20th.
Injuries, of course, have played a big role: Walker Buehler, Dustin May, and Clayton Kershaw are currently out with injuries and have missed a big portion of the season.
However, those who were supposed to take on more responsibility have failed to deliver desirable results.
It’s the specific case of left-hander Julio Urias.
The Dodgers were already short-handed when the season started.
However, they relied on Urias, a guy who had finished the last four seasons with ERAs no higher than 3.27.
Instead of becoming the ace the Dodgers wanted and needed, Urias has failed miserably.
This week, he was lit up for eight runs in five innings against the Baltimore Orioles.
As a result, per Blake Harris, his ERA ballooned all the way up to 5.02.
Julio Urías’ ERA is now 5.02 this season
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) July 19, 2023
We certainly didn’t have Urias with an ERA over 5.00 on the bingo card.
Baseball is full of possibilities and improbable scenarios coming to fruition, so we shouldn’t be too surprised.
It’s the inconsistency that is driving fans crazy.
Before the Orioles start, Urias had allowed just two earned runs in 12 frames in his previous two outings.
However, before those two games, he had surrendered 11 runs in two starts.
At this point, not even Urias knows what version of himself will show up.
The Dodgers are expected to bring in a pitcher or two at the deadline, and could find an interesting market.
NEXT: Mookie Betts Discusses His Recent Power Surge
