ST. LOUIS — The Dodgers have another opening in their starting rotation.
Two days after he gave up four home runs in one inning, the Dodgers placed left-hander Julio Urias on the injured list with a strained left hamstring. Right-hander Wander Suero was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Urias joins Dustin May on the IL, leaving the Dodgers with just three healthy starting pitchers currently on their roster – Clayton Kershaw, Noah Syndergaard and Tony Gonsolin.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts send Urias went for a scan to determine the extent of the injury Saturday but it is not expected to be serious.
“It should be short, as far as after the 15 days he’ll be eligible to pitch, and he’ll pitch,” Roberts said. “But it’s one of those things, we can’t let that bleed into something worse.”
Roberts said Urias felt the pain in his hamstring during his start Thursday in St. Louis. The left-hander went a season-low three innings, allowing four home runs in the third and then leaving the game.
“Potentially, yeah,” Roberts said when asked if the injury affected Urias’ performance against the Cardinals. “I don’t know when it happened in the third inning. But start to finish he wasn’t really sharp. Clearly that third inning, it might have been a result of the hamstring.”
Top prospect Gavin Stone is expected to be promoted from Triple-A to fill May’s spot and start Monday in Atlanta. Urias’ next scheduled start is Tuesday and Roberts said he didn’t know what the Dodgers would do for a replacement.
“Our guys are talking about it, but I don’t know that answer,” Roberts said.
“We’re gonna find a way like we always do. But guys are gonna get opportunities, and that’s a good thing too.”
Right-hander Michael Grove was in St. Louis with the Dodgers on the taxi squad for the first two games of the four-game series. He left to join OKC on Sunday and begin a rehab assignment. Grove has been on the IL since his April 20 start when he suffered a groin injury and Roberts said he is not an option to start for the Dodgers until he builds up in game action.
Ryan Pepiot remains on the IL with an oblique injury suffered at the end of spring training. He is currently limited to flat-ground throwing and might not be ready to return until after the All-Star break, Roberts said earlier this week.
The Dodgers’ eroding rotation has put a strain on their bullpen. Over their past six games through Saturday, Dodgers relievers had pitched 33 innings while the starters had given them a total of only 22.
Urias lasted a season-low three innings and 68 pitches in Thursday’s loss to the Cardinals and gave up those four home runs. He has allowed multiple home runs in five of his past seven starts and is tied for the major-league lead with 14 home runs allowed this season.
One of the most anticipated potential free agents this winter, Urias has a 6.25 ERA over his past six starts.
COMING AND GOING
The Dodgers have reportedly signed former major league closer Ken Giles to a minor-league contract.
The 32-year-old Giles had 113 saves for the Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies from 2015 through 2019. But he has pitched just eight innings in the big leagues since then, missing the entire 2021 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
He returned to pitch for the Seattle Mariners last season but had shoulder and finger injuries that limited him to 4⅓ innings. The Mariners released him in August. The San Francisco Giants signed him but released him in September after a handful of minor-league appearances.
Giles worked with Driveline this offseason and recently staged a workout for interested teams.
Meanwhile, right-hander Dylan Covey has been claimed on waivers by the Phillies. Covey, 31, made one appearance for the Dodgers, pitching four innings in relief after Dustin May left his start Wednesday with an injury. Covey was designated for assignment the next day.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (LHP Clayton Kershaw, 6-3, 2.52 ERA) at Cardinals (RHP Jack Flaherty, 3-4, 5.24 ERA), Sunday, 11:15 a.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network, 570 AM
