Tigers Decline José Urquidy's 2026 Option
José Urquidy is now a free agent after the Detroit Tigers chose not to pick up his $4 million club option for the 2026 season. Earlier in spring training, the Tigers surprisingly signed Urquidy to a one-year, $1 million major league contract with a $4 million option for 2026, despite his June 2024 Tommy John surgery and expected late-summer readiness.
Limited Performance and Questionable Signings
By the end of the 2025 season, Urquidy and Alex Cobb fell into a group of Tigers pitchers whose signings were seen as questionable from the start due to minimal playing time. Cobb did not pitch at all during the 2025 season. Urquidy managed only 2⅓ innings after returning from the injured list in September, posting a 7.71 ERA before voluntarily accepting a minor league assignment.
Paul Sewald Joins the Group
Paul Sewald, acquired from the Guardians at the trade deadline, was immediately placed on the 60-day injured list and only pitched 4⅓ innings for the Tigers after being activated in September.
Bullpen Strategy Confusion
The Tigers' bullpen management in 2025 appeared chaotic, with frequent call-ups and demotions of relievers. Urquidy's demotion was a clear sign his future with the team in 2026 was uncertain.
“The Tigers' bullpen strategy was impossible to parse out at the time — they were sending down and calling up relievers seemingly at random in a far more disorganized version of pitching chaos — but Urquidy's demotion certainly didn't bode well for his status with the team in 2026.”
Author's summary: The Tigers' recent contract decisions reflect uncertainty and instability in their pitching staff, with key signees like Urquidy and Cobb contributing little and signaling no future with the team.