Dodgers News: Zaidi Asking Urias to Take Initiative this Off-Season

It’s easy to get caught up in news about players who aren’t on the Dodgers right now, but let’s check on someone who is: Julio Urias. Urias is now the third Dodger in recent news relating his body type, as he’s planning to trim down.

It was previously reported the Dodgers wanted Yasiel Puig to shed pounds and Kenta Maeda to gain strength. General Manager Farhan Zaidi spoke with MLB.com, saying Urias will “take initiative” in maintaining his weight. He said Urias’ body is maturing and both sides want to see the young ace pitch a full season in 2017.

Long-term weight has also been a discussion with Urias. As the MLB.com article notes, Urias exceeded his expected 215 pounds by season’s end, and the lefty lost roughly 20 pounds heading into last season. He visited his agency last week as well as the Dodgers medical staff in an effort to establish a program. Agent Scott Boras said Urias will go home to Mexico, but return to California in January to prepare for spring training.

“He hasn’t really had a season where he’s pitched all the way through. Last year, there were periods of being shut down. The year before that, he had eye surgery. This is the first time the hope and expectation is six months-plus. He’s only 20, and his body is evolving. He’s going through physical maturity, and the body’s filling out. We’re aware of it and he’s aware of it, and he wants to pitch a full season.” -Farhan Zaidi on Julio Urias