[ad_1]
The Detroit Tigers are moving on from right-hander Jose Urquidy, declining his $4 million club option for 2026, as first reported by the pitcher while speaking to reporters in Mexico. The team has yet to make an official announcement but the decision frees up a small pocket of payroll flexibility heading into the offseason.
Urquidy, who was signed last spring to a one-year, $1 million deal with that team option attached, spent nearly the entire 2025 season rehabbing from his second Tommy John surgery. Detroit viewed the arrangement as a rehab gamble with upside. If he looked strong late in the year, the club had a cost-controlled rotation depth piece. If not, the option gave them room to walk away.
The 30-year-old returned in September for two brief relief outings, giving up two runs in a little over two innings. His fastball velocity hovered around 93 mph, roughly what he showed pre-surgery, though he understandably lacked polish after such a long layoff.
The Tigers clearly weren’t ready to bet $4 million on a full recovery. They could revisit a minor-league or incentive-based deal later this winter, but for now the rotation looks set with Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson, Casey Mize, and Troy Melton leading the pack. Depth options Keider Montero and Sawyer Gipson-Long sit next in line, while Jackson Jobe could rejoin the party midseason once he finishes his own post-surgery rehab.
Urquidy should draw attention around the league, offering a history of average-but-reliable innings. Across five seasons with Houston, he worked primarily as a back-end starter, posting an ERA just under 4.00 and earning a reputation for commanding the strike zone and leaning on an effective changeup. A smaller-market team with rotation holes — think Washington, Minnesota, or the White Sox — could offer him a shot at a guaranteed spot.
In Detroit’s case, it’s less about Urquidy than it is about mobility. The team saves a few million, maintains roster agility, and sets itself up for bigger moves in what should be a quietly interesting winter for Tigers pitching plans.
[ad_2]
Jeff Bilbrey
Source link