Fantasy News

• Astros' Jose Urquidy: First rehab start Sunday

  Rotowire May 9, 2024

  Urquidy will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. Urquidy is slated for four innings and/or 60-to-65 pitches in the outing. It's a fairly substantial workload considering the right-hander has been on the shelf with a forearm strain since mid-March. Urquidy would seemingly need at least one additional rehab start after that before returning to the Astros.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Starting rehab stint

  Rotowire May 8, 2024

  Astros manager Joe Espada said Wednesday that Urquidy (forearm) is likely to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land this weekend, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. The right-hander threw live batting practice Tuesday and has now been cleared to pitch in minor-league games. Urquidy was shut down with a forearm strain in mid-March and will likely require a handful of rehab starts before making his season debut for the Astros.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Nearing rehab assignment

  Rotowire May 5, 2024

  Urquidy (forearm) will throw live batting practice Tuesday and could then begin a minor-league rehab assignment, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. The right-hander was originally expected to throw live BP on Sunday, but the session was pushed back a couple days. Astros general manager Dana Brown expects Urquidy to require "two or three rehab starts" before rejoining the Astros, so he's still at least a couple weeks away from returning from the 15-day injured list.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Faces hitters Wednesday

  Rotowire May 1, 2024

  Urquidy (forearm) threw live batting practice before Wednesday's game against Cleveland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Urquidy was able to throw 30 pitches without any problems during Wednesday's session. The 29-year-old righty will likely throw one more round of BP before embarking on a rehab assignment in the minors, though it's unclear when that might happen.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Throws bullpen session

  Rotowire Apr 25, 2024

  Urquidy (forearm) threw a bullpen session Monday, MLB.com reports. The session marked Urquidy's first time pitching from a mound since mid-March. The team is hoping to get him back in May, though he'll likely need a fairly lengthy ramp-up process.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Throws off slope of mound

  Rotowire Apr 16, 2024

  Urquidy (forearm) threw off the front slope of the mound Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. It's a big step as Urquidy continues to work his way back from a right forearm strain. He will progress to facing hitters and eventually go out on a rehab assignment, although it's not clear yet when that might happen. A Houston rotation that's been hit hard by injury could use Urquidy, but the team won't rush the right-hander.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Plays catch Friday

  Rotowire Mar 30, 2024

  Urquidy (forearm) played catch Friday, marking the first time he's done so since his injury, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. Urquidy was removed from a minor-league game March 15 due to a right forearm strain, and he was placed on the team's 15-day injured list March 28. The plan is for Urquidy to play catch again Sunday while the team monitors him.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Officially placed on injured list

  Rotowire Mar 28, 2024

  The Astros placed Urquidy (forearm) on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. He suffered the injury during an appearance in a minor-league game in mid-March. According to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, manager Joe Espada said Thursday that Urquidy hopes to start playing catch by the weekend. Even if that happens, he's unlikely to be ready to make his 2024 Astros debut before the end of April.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Shut down from throwing

  Rotowire Mar 19, 2024

  Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that Urquidy (forearm) will be shut down from throwing "for a while," Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. Urquidy was diagnosed with a right forearm strain Monday and it sounds like he will be given an extended period of rest, although Espada's update didn't offer much in the way of specifics. The Astros will also be without Justin Verlander (shoulder) for a while, leaving J.P. France and Ronel Blanco to fill the final two spots in the rotation indefinitely.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Out with forearm strain

  Rotowire Mar 18, 2024

  Astros manager Joe Espada said Monday that Urquidy has been diagnosed with a forearm muscle strain and won't be available for the start of the regular season, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. Urquidy has been shut down from throwing for at least the next few days after he suffered the forearm strain during his most recent spring training outing Saturday. Despite turning in an ugly 5.29 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 63 innings in the majors in 2023, Urquidy was in position to break camp as a member of the Astros' Opening Day rotation before sustaining the arm injury. With Urquidy, Justin Verlander (shoulder), Lance McCullers (forearm) and Luis Garcia (elbow) all set to open the season on the shelf, Houston should have back-end rotation spots available for both J.P. France and Ronel Blanco for much of April, if not longer. Unless Urquidy is able to resume his throwing progression before the end of spring training, he'll most likely spend more than the minimum 15 days on the injured list.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Seeing doctors in Houston

  Rotowire Mar 16, 2024

  Urquidy (elbow) will fly to Houston on Saturday to see the Astros' team doctors, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. Urquidy removed himself from his appearance in a minor-league game Saturday due to discomfort in his right elbow. The pain hadn't disappeared when he arrived at the Astros' complex Saturday, so he will head back to Houston in order to get checked out. Should Urquidy end up having to miss time to begin the season, the Astros may further intensify their push to sign Blake Snell.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Leaves appearance with sore elbow

  Rotowire Mar 15, 2024

  Urquidy pulled himself from an appearance in a minor-league game Friday due to right elbow discomfort, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. Urquidy -- who threw 43 pitches in the outing before exiting -- is being examined by the Astros trainers Friday. The team reportedly was already on the lookout for rotation help with Justin Verlander (shoulder) opening the season on the injured list, and a serious injury to Urquidy could increase the urgency to sign someone like Blake Snell.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Modifies delivery

  Rotowire Feb 28, 2024

  Urquidy modified the movement of his glove this offseason to avoid tipping his pitches, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. Urquidy believed he was tipping his pitches by the way he moved and squeezed his glove in his delivery during the 2023 season. In addition to correcting that issue, he also worked to strengthen his shoulder and lat after suffering an injury to those areas last year. Urquidy is projected to compete with J.P. France (shoulder) for the fifth starter role, and he could have an advantage with France currently sidelined.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Settles with Astros

  Rotowire Jan 11, 2024

  The Astros and Urquidy avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.75 million contract Thursday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports. Urquidy was eligible for arbitration for the second time. The right-hander had a down 2023 campaign that was sabotaged by injury, as he finished with a 5.29 ERA over 63 innings. He wouldn't seem to be guaranteed a rotation spot heading into 2024.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Gets start for Game 4 of ALCS

  Rotowire Oct 19, 2023

  Urquidy will start Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday against the Rangers, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. After coming into the postseason with the expectation of working out of the bullpen, Urquidy was granted a start against the Twins in Game 4 of the ALDS and gave up two runs over 5.2 innings. He'll now take the mound for another Game 4 and look to keep quiet a Rangers offense that has slashed .202/.269/.364 through the first three games of the ALCS.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Starting Game 4

  Rotowire Oct 10, 2023

  Urquidy will start Wednesday against the Twins in Game 4 of the ALDS, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports. Urquidy seemed to be slated for a bullpen role ahead of Houston's ALDS matchup with Minnesota, but he'll instead get the nod to start as the Astros looks for their seventh consecutive ALCS berth. The 28-year-old righty threw nine straight shutout innings over his final two regular-season outings and has yet to appear in the postseason.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Likely in bullpen role for ALDS

  Rotowire Oct 5, 2023

  Astros general manager Dana Brown said Thursday that Urquidy will likely work out of the bullpen during the ALDS against the Twins, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Urquidy was tremendous in a spot start on the third-to-last day of the regular season, working six scoreless innings in a win over the Diamondbacks, but the Astros have already announced that Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez will start ALDS Games 1 and 2, with Cristian Javier looking probable for Game 3. J.P. France and Hunter Brown could also be in bullpen roles for Houston's best-of-five series versus Minnesota.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Does well in spot start

  Rotowire Sep 30, 2023

  Urquidy (3-3) earned the win Friday over the Diamondbacks, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out two over six scoreless innings. He made the spot start after J.P. France was scratched due to a family emergency. This was Urquidy's first start since Aug. 23 -- he'd allowed 11 runs over 14.1 innings across his last five appearances, all coming in relief. For the season, he's struggled to a 5.29 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 45:25 K:BB through 63 innings across 16 outings (10 starts). Urquidy will likely resume his bullpen role if the Astros are able to secure a playoff spot.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Labors through start

  Rotowire Aug 24, 2023

  Urquidy allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out one over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Red Sox on Wednesday. Urquidy needed 100 pitches (61 strikes) in this appearance, which came after his last outing was a two-inning relief stint against the Mariners on Friday. The right-hander has struggled to get in form this season -- this was the fourth time in 10 appearances he's allowed at least four runs. He's at a 5.48 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and 35:16 K:BB through 42.2 innings. Urquidy is tentatively lined up for a road rematch in Boston next week if the Astros continue to roll out a six-man rotation.

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• Astros' Jose Urquidy: Available in relief Friday

  Rotowire Aug 18, 2023

  Urquidy will be available out of the bullpen Friday against the Mariners, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports. The Astros are currently rolling with a six-man rotation and Urquidy won't be needed to make a start in their three-game weekend series versus Seattle. A short relief outing could act as a between-starts throw day before he slots back into the rotation early next week against the Red Sox.

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