The Tigers have signed free agent right-hander José Urquidy to a one-year, $1MM contract for 2025, the crew introduced. The deal comes with a $4MM crew possibility for 2026. That crew possibility additionally consists of escalators that might improve Urquidy’s wage by as much as $3MM. He’ll earn an extra $150K for reaching every of 4 and 7 begins; $300K for reaching every of 10, 13, 16, and 19 begins; and $500K for reaching every of twenty-two, 25, and 28 begins.
To unencumber area for Urquidy on the 40-man roster, the Tigers positioned fellow right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Lengthy on the 60-day injured listing whereas he continues to get well from left hip labral restore and Tommy John surgical procedure. The crew has additionally positioned Urquidy on the 60-day IL; he’s recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure of his personal.
Urquidy spent the primary six years of his MLB profession with the Astros. Whereas he appeared like a stable mid-rotation starter in 2021 and ’22 (3.81 ERA, 4.22 SIERA in 49 video games), the righty had a tough yr in 2023. He struggled out of the gate in April earlier than touchdown on the IL with shoulder troubles. His struggles continued upon his return in August, and he quickly misplaced his spot within the beginning rotation.
Sadly, Urquidy’s troubles solely received worse in 2024. He opened the season on the injured listing and ultimately required UCL surgical procedure in June. After clearing waivers in November, he elected free company.
Urquidy is not going to be able to return to motion till midseason on the earliest, so he is not going to issue into the continued rotation battle in Tigers camp. Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Reese Olson are locks for the Opening Day rotation, and prime prospect Jackson Jobe has the within monitor on the quantity 4 spot, in response to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Nonetheless, with Alex Cobb anticipated to overlook the start of the season, one spot on the again finish remains to be up for grabs. Casey Mize, Kenta Maeda, and Keider Montero are the first candidates to win that job.
In the meantime, Urquidy will proceed his rehab within the Tigers group. As soon as he is able to get again on the sector, he can present depth as a back-end starter or lengthy reliever. In a best-case state of affairs, Urquidy returns and appears like his previous self, which might make his membership possibility for 2026 a discount. In the meantime, the worst potential end result for the Tigers is that they pay him $1MM to rehab in 2025 and reduce their losses on the finish of the yr if he struggles or fails to get again on the mound.
Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 was the primary to report the settlement between Urquidy and the Tigers. Chris McCosky of the Detroit Information confirmed that it was a significant league deal.
