José Urquidy took the mound for the Chicago White Sox and gave them exactly what they’ve been looking for: six innings, two hits allowed, and eight strikeouts to lead the team to a win. The Mazatlán native was in command from pitch one, never letting opposing hitters put any real pressure on his defense. For a team in the middle of a rebuild, a start like that is worth its weight in gold.
6 IP, 2 H, 8 K — the line tells the whole story
Urquidy’s stat line on Tuesday is the kind you remember at the end of a season. Six innings, two hits, eight strikeouts: that’s what controlling a game looks like. The eight punchouts are especially telling — he wasn’t relying on his defense to bail him out. He was getting hitters out on his own terms, one swing-and-miss at a time.
For any starting pitcher, that’s an elite outing. For Urquidy, who has spent the last couple of seasons working to rebuild his rhythm and confidence after a rough stretch, it’s a statement: he is still a big-league starter, full stop.
Chicago needed a night like this
Nobody following the White Sox in 2026 is under any illusions — this is a rebuilding club. That’s exactly why what Urquidy did matters even more. He kept the score manageable, gave his team a real chance to compete, and delivered the kind of quality start that wins don’t happen without. You don’t get many gifts in MLB, and opening with six innings of two-hit ball is about as good a foundation as a bullpen could ask for.
Urquidy comes to Chicago after his time with the Houston Astros, where he was a meaningful piece of their contending rotations. Now in a different role with a different team, he’s showing his arm still has plenty of baseball left in it. A performance like this one tells the coaching staff a lot about what they can count on the rest of the way.
Mexican baseball fans have every reason to celebrate. Urquidy didn’t just pick up a win — he delivered the kind of start that justifies exactly why the White Sox brought him in. And in the end, that’s what this is all about.
