Julio Urías and bullpen give up one hit as Dodgers shut out Mets to open second half

After announcing that Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ best pitcher for the first half of the season, would miss more time than expected with a shoulder injury, manager Dave Roberts fielded a couple of follow-up queries Friday afternoon.

One was about the team’s seemingly increased need for starting pitching help at the trade deadline. The other was about an equally important hope that the other starters — Julio Urías and Tony Gonsolin chief among them — could rediscover top form down the stretch.

The former, Roberts downplayed. The latter, he couldn’t emphasize enough.

“It would certainly be helpful,” Roberts said. “ I think they’re both healthy and they both threw the heck out of it in their last turn. I’m looking forward to the next couple of days.”

Hours later, Roberts was treated to a show by Urías, who blanked the New York Mets over six shutout, one-hit innings in the Dodgers’ 6-0 victory at Citi Field.

It was a second straight sign of promise from Urías, the left-hander following up a six-inning, two-run start prior to the All-Star break with what was unquestionably his best start of the season.

After giving up a double to the first batter, Urías mowed through a high-priced, underperforming Mets lineup. He retired 18 of 21 batters the rest of the way, the three exceptions coming on a walk, hit batter and catcher’s interference. He struck out seven while throwing only 85 pitches, exiting with a four-run lead.

The Dodgers (52-38) did most of their damage in the fifth. After being held hitless through four frames by Justin Verlander, who was one of L.A.’s top targets last winter before signing with the Mets (42-49), three straight walks by the bottom of the lineup set up Mookie Betts for an RBI single and Freddie Freeman for an RBI double.

The Dodgers tacked on another run in the sixth, on a single from Miguel Rojas. Then they cruised from there, the bullpen putting the finishing touches on a one-hit masterpiece.

For most of the first half, Urías looked little like the Cy Young contender he’d been the previous two seasons.

During his first two months, he had a 4.39 ERA and the most home runs given up in the majors. Then, he missed six weeks with a hamstring strain, further derailing his final season before free agency.

His return from the injured list wasn’t encouraging, a five-run, three-inning start against last-place Kansas City on July 1.

Since then, however, he has been lights out, giving the Dodgers the ace-caliber performances they’ll need from him the rest of the way — regardless of whether they make a big trade deadline splash.

Gonsolin is in a similar boat. After missing the opening month with a sprained ankle, then posting a 3.86 ERA through his first 13 starts (only four of which went six innings), the 2022 All-Star enters the second half with plenty of room to improve, especially as the No. 2 starter with Kershaw sidelined.

Gonsolin will get his chance to stage a turnaround Saturday, hoping to build off improvements he flashed in a season-high 6⅔-inning start prior to the break.

On Friday, Urías gave him a template to follow, tapping back into his tantalizing talent with a long-awaited return to dominance.