Dodgers have Julio Urias lined up to start Game 1 of NLDS
SAN DIEGO — Tell us Julio Urias is starting Game 1 of the NLDS without telling us Julio Urias is starting Game 1 of the NLDS.
“I think we’re in a situation where I don’t think we can go wrong with either he or Clayton (Kershaw),” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “We’ll see how the last couple starts go for these guys. But I think it’s fair to say both of those guys will be starting Game 1 and Game 2.”
Urias and Kershaw are currently lined up to start the final two games of the regular season – in that order.
“I don’t think we’re beholden to anything,” Roberts said. “We can move it around if we see fit.”
The Dodgers will have five off days between the end of the regular season and the first game of their best-of-five National League Division Series, giving them time to change the starting order if they want. But what would make them want to change the order?
“We’re in a good spot,” Roberts said, avoiding the question. “I don’t think we can make a wrong decision.”
Left-hander Tyler Anderson is expected to be the Game 3 starter.
ALMONTE BACK
Right-hander Yency Almonte was activated from the injured list on Wednesday after making three appearances with Triple-A Oklahoma City on a rehab assignment. Almonte allowed two runs on two hits and no walks while striking out three in 2⅔ innings.
Right-hander Phil Bickford was moved to the IL to make room for Almonte on the active roster, ending Bickford’s regular season. He will be eligible for a postseason roster. Bickford went 2-1 with a 4.72 ERA, with 67 strikeouts in 61 innings over 60 appearances for the Dodgers this season.
TURNER DOWN
Justin Turner was not in the lineup Wednesday and will probably not play for “the next couple of days,” Roberts said.
Turner fouled a ball off his left shin during the Dodgers’ doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks last week, suffering a contusion there. He aggravated the injury on a couple of slides since then.
“There’s been some swelling in his left leg,” Roberts said. “So I think that I can see him being down for the next couple of days, to be quite honest, to kind of get that swelling out.”
ALSO
Right-hander Tony Gonsolin is expected to rejoin the Dodgers after pitching two innings in a rehab start with OKC and start Monday’s game against the Colorado Rockies.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (TBA) at Padres (TBA), Thursday, 6:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM