Prior to Tuesday’s matchup against the Washington Nationals, Julio Urías received his 2021 Warren Spahn Award, which has been presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame since 1999 to the best left-handed pitcher in baseball.
Urías became only the second Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher to be named a Warren Spahn winner, joining Clayton Kershaw, who earned the hardware in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017. The award takes into account wins, ERA and strikeouts.
Urías went 20-3 with a 2.96 ERA, 3.13 FIP and 1.02 WHIP across 32 starts last year in what marked his first full season being a permanent member of the Dodgers’ rotation. He was the only 20-game winner in baseball and logged a career-high 185.2 innings.
Despite the stellar season, Urías did not place among the National League Cy Young Award finalists. However, he finished seventh on the final ballot and was included on the All-MLB Second Team.
Urías has continued to pitch well this season as he is 9-6 with a 2.72 ERA, 3.91 FIP and 1.00 WHIP in 102.2 innings pitched (19 starts). The 25-year-old was disappointed to not be selected to the 2022 MLB All-Star Game but vowed to move on.
“Things just happened. Obviously you’re two starts away from the All-Star Game, but things happen,” Urías said of not being named an All-Star. “Those are things that are out of my control and I can’t really do anything about.
“I’ve got to focus more on what I need to do to prepare for my next start.”
Urías had ‘little extra motivation’ against Giants
Urías began the second half of the 2022 season by throwing six scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants. He has allowed just two runs in three starts against the Dodgers’ biggest rival this year.
“I think it’s just part of the rivalry,” Urías said of his success. “This is a team we see very often, a team we’ve seen in the postseason and had some tough battles. It’s one of those things that gives you a little extra motivation to go out there and do the job.”
More must-reads: