Former Astros starter just got caught up in strange Tigers roster twist

Tigers’ latest move puts ex-Astros rotation piece in strange spot
Detroit Tigers v Miami Marlins
Detroit Tigers v Miami Marlins | Leonardo Fernandez/GettyImages

Former Houston Astros starting pitcher José Urquidy, now with the Detroit Tigers, finally made his return from Tommy John surgery last week, but has already found himself off the Tigers' roster. In a flurry of roster moves on Thursday, the Tigers designated Urquidy for assignment in order to make room for veteran reliever Paul Sewald, who was activated from the 60-day IL.

The catch is that Urquidy won't be passed through waivers. Clearing Urquidy from the 40-man roster was a procedural move for the Tigers, and the 30-year-old has expressed a desire to remain with the organization. With that in mind, Urquidy is expected to be added back to the 40-man roster this weekend and will continue to shake the rust while pitching for Triple-A Toledo.

Tigers’ bizarre move leaves former Astros pitcher Jose Urquidy in limbo

The Tigers hold a $4 million club option for Urquidy in 2026, and the early impression is that they will pick it up. While only appearing in two games for the Tigers, Urquidy does have some familiarity in the clubhouse with former Astros manager A.J. Hinch. Hinch remains optimistic about the value Urquidy could provide for the Tigers' pitching staff.

“He’s creative, he’s got multiple pitches and he’s undeterred by any sort of big environment,” Hinch said. “He’s got a weapon for both sides of the plate. I think you’re also seeing the difficulty in coming back from his second major surgery. He’s a little bit rusty or erratic or spraying the ball maybe more than he normally does in his two outings. Both of those things can be expected. He can flash the things of why we like him, and he can demonstrate some of the potholes that come in the recovery process.”

Of course, that's been the theme of Urquidy's career so far. The veteran right-hander has flashed signs of trending toward being a top-of-the-rotation starter for any team he is on, but availability has always been his biggest liability. Part of the reason why the Astros were ready to let Urquidy walk last offseason was that most of this season was dedicated to his recovery.

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