Julio Urias‘ demotion became official Tuesday. The 19-year-old left-hander was sent back to Triple-A Oklahoma City after making eight major league starts, and left-handed reliever Luis Avilan was recalled to take his spot on the 25-man roster.
Urías, 19, went 1-2 with a 4.95 ERA in eight starts with the Dodgers after making his debut May 27. He struggled mightily in his first two games against the Mets and Cubs, both on the road, allowing eight runs in 7 ⅔ innings. Over his next five starts Urias pitched like a seasoned vet, posting a 2.49 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 25 ⅓ innings. But he was roughed up for five runs in 3 ⅓ innings Monday by the Baltimore Orioles and, with Hyun-Jin Ryu set to re-join the Dodgers’ rotation Thursday, Urias returns to Triple-A to keep sharp while presumably preserving his innings limit.
Urias has thrown 77 ⅓ total innings this year between Triple-A and the majors. He threw 80 ⅓ innings during the 2015 regular season across four minor league levels.
Avilan has appeared in four games in two stints with the Dodgers this year, allowing three runs and recording three outs. The 26-year-old averaged more than a strikeout per inning at Triple-A (29 in 27 ⅔ innings), while posting an 0-3 record with four saves and a 4.55 ERA in 26 games.