While the Dodgers roll out the same lineup on Saturday that scored 10 runs on Friday, including the main culprit Yasmani Grandal behind the plate against the Padres, here are some pregame notes about Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw and others.
Julio Urias, who was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, will pitch an inning in relief this weekend, manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Saturday, per J.P. Hoornstra of the LA Daily News.
As Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register noted, the Dodgers haven't revealed their full plan but don't plan to completely shut down the left-hander, and using him in relief occasionally in the minors would get him used to the role. This makes sense should the Dodgers opt to use him in that manor in the majors in September or October.
Urias is already at 77⅓ innings between the majors and minors combined in 2016, after throwing 80⅓ innings in 2015. He was never going to be able to start the entire season, and this current planned usage was something Andrew Friedman discussed when Urias was first called up in May.
"He's not a guy whether it's in Triple-A or the major leagues can make a start every fifth day through the balance of the year," Friedman said in May. "You want to make sure he gets the range he wants, but you have to balance the 'right now' part of the season with potentially September as well, having as many capable arms as possible."
In other Dodgers left-hander news, Clayton Kershaw threw on Saturday on the field at Dodger Stadium from 120 feet, described by Ken Gurnick of MLB.com "as hard as he usually would when healthy."
Gurnick added that Kershaw later threw from 60 feet from a windup off flat ground.
Other lefty news, in tweet form:
Alex Wood has thrown a couple bullpen sessions. He and Brett Anderson are "really close" in terms of their progression, Dave Roberts said.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 9, 2016
Wood, sidelined with triceps tightness, last pitched on May 30 and is on the 60-day disabled list, His earliest possible activation date is July 30. Anderson, recovering from back surgery, is eligible to return whenever he is ready and built up.
Andre Ethier still projected to return in early-to-mid-August.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 9, 2016