The Pittsburgh Pirates designated right-hander José Urquidy for assignment on July 24, 2026 — and the reason had nothing to do with his arm. Urquidy had posted a 1.74 ERA over his last six starts at Triple-A Indianapolis. The move was pure roster math: catcher Rafael Flores landed on the concussion IL, and the Pirates needed Shawn Ross in the big leagues immediately.
One open roster spot. One emergency. Urquidy was the odd man out — not because he’d been struggling, but because he was the most movable piece at the moment.
A Comeback Contract That Turned Into a Numbers Game
Urquidy signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with Pittsburgh back in February 2026. It was already a second-chance situation — he’d undergone two elbow surgeries that wiped out virtually all of his 2024 season. The Pirates gave him a shot, and he made five relief appearances between March and April, throwing 6.1 innings and allowing 6 runs before being optioned to Triple-A on April 13.
Down in Indianapolis, he rediscovered his footing. Over 17 starts, he put up a 3.66 ERA, and then closed out the stretch before the DFA with that sharp 1.74 ERA in six outings. That’s the version of Urquidy who’s now available — a pitcher who got his rhythm back, not one who fell apart.
A Career Worth Remembering
At 31, Urquidy carries a résumé that few Mexican pitchers can match. He made his MLB debut on July 2, 2019 with the Houston Astros, and three years later he was part of the rotation that won the 2022 World Series. His career regular-season line: 27-16, 3.99 ERA, 329 strikeouts. In the postseason, he went 4-2 with a 4.08 ERA across 15 appearances, including eight starts.
His second elbow surgery in June 2024 cost him nearly the entire following season. Pittsburgh was his path back to relevance. It didn’t unfold the way he hoped on the day-to-day roster level, but the Triple-A numbers make a strong case that there’s still plenty left in that right arm.
Ross Gets His Shot; Urquidy Enters the Market
The man who triggered all of this is 26-year-old catcher Shawn Ross, who hit a combined .181/.325/.432 between Double-A and Triple-A in 2026. The slash line isn’t eye-popping, but Baseball Prospectus rates him well defensively, and with Flores on the concussion IL, the Pirates simply had no other option.
As for Urquidy, he now has the standard seven-day DFA window: he can be traded, claimed off waivers, released, or accept a minor-league assignment. A right-hander with a World Series ring, a sub-4.00 career ERA, and recent Triple-A momentum isn’t the kind of arm that goes unnoticed for long.
For Pittsburgh, this was a strictly operational move. For Urquidy, it’s the start of a new chapter — and he’s already written enough good ones that someone should be calling.
