Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias is working his way back from an injury. The left-hander, who finished as an NL Cy Young finalist in 2022, impressed during his rehab start for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers' minor league team) on Sunday. Urias ultimately struck out eight hitters over four innings while hitting 95 MPH with his fastball, per David Vassegh. He also allowed just one run as the Quakes went on to win the game.

The performance was certainly encouraging. Urias has struggled for the Dodgers in 2023, but perhaps he's on the verge of getting back on track upon his looming return. After pitching to the tune of a 2.16 ERA in 2022, Julio Urias currently has 4.39 ERA across 10 starts (55.1 innings) in 2023. He's also struck out 53 hitters compared to 11 walks.

Los Angeles is facing pitching depth questions. The emergence of rookies Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan has been key for the rotation, while Clayton Kershaw's continued to lead the charge. Nevertheless, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and Noah Syndergaard have all dealt with injuries this year. That said, Gonsolin has also fared well since returning from his injury.

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The Dodgers are hopeful that Julio Urias can return soon and make an immediate impact. LA is in third place in the NL West as of this story's publication, trailing the Arizona Diamondbacks by three games. Although it hasn't been a perfect season for the Dodgers, they have to feel content with their position given all of the injuries they've endured.

We will continue to monitor and provide updates on Urias as they are made available.