Jose Urquidy

Jose Urquidy

29-Year-Old PitcherSP
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
Out
Injury Elbow
Est. Return 7/20/2025
2024 Fantasy Outlook
It's tempting to toss out Urquidy's entire 2023 season because he missed all of May, June and July due to a severe bout of right shoulder inflammation. He returned from the 60-day IL in early August and mostly pitched well down the stretch, which offers reason for optimism that the injury is fully in the rearview. Unfortunately, that lengthy absence moved him down the Astros' pitching depth chart to the point where he is not assured of being part of the Opening Day rotation in 2024. The retirement of Dusty Baker and promotion of new manager Joe Espada further clouds Urquidy's status. If he's working as a starter, he could perhaps get back to his 2020-22 form and regularly deliver valuable fantasy outings. If he gets stuck in long relief, the mixed-league appeal almost completely fades. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#424
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Astros in January of 2024.
Elects free agency
PFree Agent  
Elbow
November 4, 2024
The Astros outrighted Urquidy (elbow) on Monday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
Urquidy never pitched in the majors during the 2024 regular season. He started on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain, and he was able to ramp up to rehab assignments in May. However, he suffered a setback during his assignment, and after further evaluation and consultations, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in early June. Urquidy could pitch again late during the 2025 regular season, but it will likely be with another organization that doesn't require his services at the major-league level during that campaign. He appeared in 16 games (10 starts) for the Astros during the 2023 regular season and posted a 5.29 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 63 innings.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
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2023 MLB Game Log
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Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-17%
BAA vs LHP
2024
No Stats
2023
 
 
-26%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-13%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .223 419 84 26 86 28 1 14
Since 2022vs Right .270 537 95 37 133 17 1 26
2024vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023vs Left .215 106 21 11 20 7 0 4
2023vs Right .292 169 24 14 45 5 1 7
2022vs Left .226 313 63 15 66 21 1 10
2022vs Right .260 368 71 23 88 12 0 19
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Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-19%
ERA on Road
2024
No Stats
2023
 
 
-29%
ERA on Road
2022
 
 
-10%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 4.76 1.28 113.1 6 7 0 8.3 2.7 2.1
Since 2022Away 3.87 1.20 114.0 10 4 1 5.9 2.3 1.1
2024Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Home 6.06 1.43 35.2 1 2 0 7.6 2.8 2.5
2023Away 4.28 1.43 27.1 2 1 1 4.9 4.6 0.3
2022Home 4.17 1.21 77.2 5 5 0 8.6 2.7 1.9
2022Away 3.74 1.13 86.2 8 3 0 6.2 1.6 1.4
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Prospect Rankings History
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Jose Urquidy See More
Collette Calls: Thinking About Pitchers Returning From Injuries
17 days ago
Spencer Strider leads a strong group of pitchers set to return from elbow surgery in 2025. How much can we trust them in their first season back?
MLB Points Leagues: How to Survive Another Flurry of Pitcher Injuries
168 days ago
Dan Marcus looks at potential pitching reinforcements available in a majority of leagues and thinks the Cubs' Ben Brown could be worth stashing.
Fantasy Baseball Injury Report: Check Swings
185 days ago
Jeff Stotts details prominent injured MLB players in his all Check Swings addition, including Nolan Jones, who will be back with Colorado on Tuesday after missing time with a lower back strain.
AL FAAB Factor: Waiver Pickups of the Week
242 days ago
Ahead of Opening Day, Erik Siegrist reviews AL players whose outlooks have improved since early drafters assembled their rosters, including Rays prospect Curtis Mead.
Spring Training Job Battles: American League Late-March Update
243 days ago
Eight job battles have received significant updates this week, including Opening Day decisions on two top prospects and changes to three closer situations.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
Urquidy compiled a career-high 164.1 innings as he started 28 games in 29 appearances. His strikeout rate ticked down while his walk rate inched up from the previous year, but it was nothing to warrant concern. As a fly ball pitcher, Urquidy generally sports a low BABIP. Last season's .264 was higher than 2021's .237, but he still benefited from some batted ball luck last season. Urquidy's ERA estimators tabbed his 3.94 mark to be between a quarter and half a run too low. Some may give him the benefit of the doubt and lump Urquidy in with the rest of the Astros talented arms, but he's nowhere near as dominant, thus vulnerable to more variance. Houston has a knack getting the most out of their pitcher's stuff, but Urquidy's spin and velocity isn't as high as his teammates. Put together, Urquidy is a league average pitcher, which is fine. Just don't expect another level typical of Astros' hurler.
Urquidy is beginning to establish an interesting profile. He has an effective mix of pitches, led by the great changeup, but pairs all of it up with strong command to get the most out of what he has. The profile lines up with a modern day James Shields, but without the workhorse innings "Big Game James" threw in the previous era. Urquidy missed a chunk of the summer with shoulder troubles, reminding us that he's yet to work more than 110 innings in a single season. Like Shields, Urquidy is susceptible to the long ball when he misses his location, something Minute Maid Field does not help hide at all. His changeup gets the attention, but don't overlook his slider which has similar swing-and-miss potential thanks to its above-average horizontal movement which hitters have a tough time barreling up. Interest in fantasy is warranted, but the lack of a durability track record is concerning.
Urquidy tested positive for COVID-19 in summer camp, then quarantined for a month before rebuilding his arm strength. He debuted in early September, making five regular-season starts. After just 3.2 frames in his first game, Urquidy alternated six- and seven-inning outings, a good sign in today's landscape. His 14.7 K% is misleading as Urquidy faced the Diamondbacks and Angels, two lineups with low strikeout rates, and a mid-pack Athletics squad. In 14 innings against the Rangers, Urquidy fanned a respectable 12 batters. However, regression on a .209 BABIP should be expected, and that should give you some pause; his 5.36 xFIP and 5.41 SIERA essentially doubled his 2.73 ERA. Embarking on his age-26 season, Urquidy is likely to have his innings monitored, and his 93.5-mph fastball is average by today's standards. This is a solid, but not truly dominant, skill set.
Urquidy entered 2019 as an unheralded prospect, sporting quality earned run averages and walk rates with middling strikeout totals. He finished his first full season since 2017 Tommy John surgery as a member of the rotation for the top seed in the American League. A velocity jump fueled his rise. He sat 90-91 mph with his fastball before TJS, but averaged 93 mph and touched 97 last year. His slider and changeup are quality offerings, but his top tool is plus command. In seven starts and two relief appearances at the big-league level, his walk rate was low as usual (4.2%), though his strikeout rate dropped to a merely good 24.0%. He had some gems and a couple clunkers, and when he was on, he looked the part of at least a mid-rotation starter. Entering his age-24/25 season, he appears poised to be the No. 4 or No. 5 starter on a team that has won 100-plus games in each of the last three seasons.
More Fantasy News
Team hopes for late July return
PHouston Astros  
Elbow
October 3, 2024
Astros general manager Dana Brown said Thursday that Urquidy (elbow) is projected to return in late July next season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Undergoes Tommy John surgery
PHouston Astros  
Elbow
June 7, 2024
Urquidy underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Shifted to 60-day IL
PHouston Astros  
Elbow
June 5, 2024
The Astros transferred Urquidy (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
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Getting season-ending surgery
PHouston Astros  
Forearm
June 5, 2024
The Astros announced that Urquidy will undergo season-ending surgery Wednesday on his right elbow, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
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May need second Tommy John surgery
PHouston Astros  
Forearm
June 3, 2024
Urquidy (forearm) is expected to meet with Dr. Keith Meister this week and could be recommended to undergo the second Tommy John surgery of his career, Alden Gonzalez and Jeff Passan of ESPN.com report.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Severity of injury unknown
PHouston Astros  
May 1, 2023
Urquidy left Sunday's game against the Phillies with a right shoulder injury and is expected to receive an MRI to determine the severity of it, according to Max Berman of FOX 26.
ANALYSIS
Urquidy's start was cut off after 5.1 innings, and a wayward pitch during an at-bat against Nick Castellanos caused Urquidy to "feel a little bit of pain in the back of my shoulder," as he explained after the game to reporters. Urquidy didn't sound overly concerned with the injury, but the MRI will give the team a clearer picture of what he might be dealing with. Urquidy owns a 5.20 ERA through 27.2 innings so far.
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