Roberts: Urias may soon help LA in bullpen

Julio Urias' time may come sooner than later.

The 19-year-old lefty -- considered the Dodgers' top prospect and MLB.com's No. 2 overall -- is being seriously considered as a solution for the Major League club's recent bullpen problems, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts told the media Saturday in Toronto.

"I think internally there's talk," Roberts said. "He just came off another great outing, and I think that we're thinking through a lot of options, and Urias is definitely at the top of the list."

The teenager threw six hitless innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

"The honest truth is every pitch I threw I had command over," Urias told MiLB.com after the gem. "Slider, curveball, changeup, I thought I was really confident throwing any pitch in any moment."

That has seemingly been the case throughout most of his five appearances -- four starts -- in the Pacific Coast League this season. He's 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA, and he's struck out 29 while walking three and holding opponents to a .163 average over 24 innings. In the meantime, the Dodgers have lost six of 16 games in which a pitcher turned in a quality start.

"Julio can do a lot of different things, whether it's out of the 'pen or as a starter," Roberts said. "It's a necessity-based thing when he's ready. Things are showing he's getting to that point. What we need and what he can do and how dynamic he is, there's a lot of things to consider."

Urias has never thrown more than 87 2/3 innings since turning pro in 2013, and he logged just 80 1/3 last season as the Dodgers took it slow with his young arm. Still, the club would call on him before 23-year-old righty Jose De Leon, who turned in five stellar innings in his season debut Tuesday after Los Angeles kept him in extended spring camp following a minor ankle sprain in March. De Leon is the franchise's No. 2 prospect and No. 21 overall.

"Where we're at right now," Roberts said, "Urias is leading the discussions. He can get lefties and righties out. It's a nice luxury if we decide to go that way."