World Baseball Classic 2023: Will Julio Urias pitch for Mexico vs Colombia?

The electric starter of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Julio Urias will proudly represent his home country, Mexico, during this year's iteration of the World Baseball Classic. As expected, Urias is slated to start Game 1 of the tournament for the team when they face Colombia on Saturday, March 11.

"Julio Urías World Baseball Classic cleats (via@juanctoribio)" - Talkin' Baseball

Mexico will open its schedule on March 11 against Colombia, and will play the United States the following day. As members of Pool C, all games will be played at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Julio Urias and Team Mexico's opening round will continue on March 14 against Great Britain and against Canada on March 15. While the United States enters the tournament as one of the favorites to walk away with the title, Mexico may be able to move on from the opening round.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic will only be the fifth iteration of the tournament, as it was originally established in 2006. The last time the international tournament was played in 2017, the United States walked away with the title, defeating Puerto Rico 8-0 in the championship game.

"massive throwback to this absolutely iconic moment from the 2017 WBC. adam jones had that DAWG in him" - @HeatUpTommy

If Julio Urias and Mexico hope to make some noise during the World Baseball Classic, they will need to go through the powerhouse American squad. Team USA will be headlined by some of the biggest names in baseball, including Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt.

"Julio Urias News: Dodgers Ace Will Start Game 1 for Team Mexico in WBC | Follow DodgersNation. More details here:" - Dodgers Nation

While Mexico may not feature as much top-to-bottom talent as USA, they will roster several MLB stars. Among the Mexican roster, notable MLB players include Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays, Alejandro Kirk of the Toronto Blue Jays, and the aforementioned Julio Urias of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

A look at Julio Urias' MLB career so far

Since debuting with the Dodgers at the age of 19, Urias has quickly emerged as one of the top and most reliable pitchers in the MLB. The top season of his career so far came in 2021 where he delivered an incredible 20-3 record with a dazzling 2.96 ERA, finishing seventh in Cy Young voting.

At 26 years old, Urias will enter the 2023 season as one of the most important players for Los Angeles.