Dodgers News: Julio Urias Takes Responsibility for Early Season Struggles

He knows he needs to be better.

We haven't seen the Julio Urias we're used to watching over his past two starts. After starting the year like his dominant self — with four great starts and a 1.90 ERA — Urias has seemed to hit a roadblock.

Urias has allowed 11 earned runs over the nine combined innings in his last two starts, and has allowed back-to-back home runs in three straight games. He's raised his season ERA all the way up to 4.41.

Julio Urias' final line on Thursday against the Pirates:

5.2 IP
7 H
6 ER
2 BB
5 K
31 CSW%
96 pitches

He's raised his ERA to 4.41 on the season.

— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) April 27, 2023

After looking like a leading Cy Young candidate in his first four starts, Urias is now playing like someone who won't even make the All-Star team.

Fortunately, though, it's very early in the season, and Urias has more than enough time to get back on track. And after Thursday's rough start, he took responsibility for his poor play (per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register).

"I have to pitch better. That’s what I have to do," Urias said in Spanish. "I feel like I’m too inconsistent right now and I’m paying the price."

Urias definitely needs to be better, and find ways to limit the home runs, which have killed him early this season.

For the first time in his MLB career, Urias has lost three straight starts — In 2021, he lost three starts all year.

But again, it's still very early in the season. Urias is the ace of the Dodgers for a reason, and they're going to work with him to figure this one out.

The Dodgers need Urias to be a consistent force in their rotation, one that has some holes in it early in the season. Urias felt like the one guy the Dodgers knew they'd be able to trust, and potentially eat innings to give the bullpen a night off.

So far this season, that's not been the case, as Urias hasn't thrown more than six innings in any of his six starts this season. The Dodgers need Urias to be the ace of this staff and, considering he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, it would probably bode well for him to do just that.