Julio Urías will start opening day

Mar 24, 2023 - 4:24 PM

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The Dodgers on Friday named Julio Urías the opening day starter for the 2023 season, honoring the rotation’s most consistent pitcher the last three seasons who is coming off a year in which he finished third in National League Cy Young Award voting.

Urías led the NL in ERA (2.16) and ERA+ (194) last season, and also won the opener of the National League Division Series, the first Game 1 start of the left-hander’s career. The left-hander also won the Warren Spahn Award as the top left-handed pitcher in the majors in each of the last two seasons.

The Dodgers open the 2023 regular season on Thursday, March 30 against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Zac Gallen starts for Arizona.

Uriás’ final spring start is Friday afternoon against the Brewers at Camelback Ranch, means he’ll be pitching on five days of rest against Arizona.

Urías is one of 20 major league pitchers to make 30 starts in each of the last two seasons. Dating back to the start of 2020, his 73 starts is tied for ninth and only three shy of the top spot, and Urías’ 415⅔ innings rank 14th in the majors. Urías over the last three seasons also leads the majors with 40 wins.

“He’s a guy that’s going to be our workhorse,” Roberts said of Urías at FanFest at Dodger Stadium on February 4. “If you look at the rotation and how it’s constructed, I would expect him to lead our staff in innings pitched, and perform like he has the last two years.”

Urías is poised to be the fifth different opening day starting pitcher for the Dodgers in the last five seasons. Hyun-jin Ryu started the first game in 2019. Dustin May was the emergency starter in the 2020 opener after Clayton Kershaw was scratched with back soreness, then Kershaw made his team-record ninth opening day start in 2021. Walker Buehler made his first opening day start in 2022.