Tigers End Partnership with World Series Champion José Urquidy
The Detroit Tigers have parted ways with pitcher José Urquidy after a short and injury-plagued stint with the team. Once a key rotation member for the 2022 World Series champion Houston Astros, Urquidy is now aiming to revive his career.
Three years ago, Urquidy stood at the peak of his career, but injuries have largely limited his playing time since then. He appeared in only 16 games during the 2023 season, missed the entire next year due to Tommy John surgery, and made just two major league outings for Detroit this season.
The Tigers held a $4 million club option for the 30-year-old pitcher for next season. However, on Thursday the team announced it would decline the option, making Urquidy a free agent for the second consecutive offseason.
In his brief time with Detroit, Urquidy allowed two earned runs over 2⅓ innings. Despite this, he performed solidly in minor-league rehab stints, posting a 2.91 ERA across 21⅔ innings with Class-A Lakeland and Triple-A Toledo.
“Urquidy was the winning pitcher in Games 2 and 5 of the 2021 World Series, the only two games Houston won in that Fall Classic loss to the Atlanta Braves.”
Between 2019 and 2023, Urquidy made postseason appearances every year for Houston, amassing a 4–2 record and a 4.08 ERA over 15 playoff outings.
Author Summary
Detroit declined José Urquidy's contract option after his injury setbacks, ending a brief chapter with the Tigers and sending the former Astros champion into free agency again.