The Philadelphia Phillies were hit with a whopper of a gut punch earlier this week, learning that co-ace Jesús Luzardo will miss the remainder of the regular season with shoulder soreness. The team has publicly stated that they hope he'll be back in time for the playoffs, but it's anyone's guess if his overworked left shoulder will be ready to go by the time the Wild Card Round begins.
That put the Phillies' depth chart in a world of hurt, seeing as the organization isn't exactly teeming with capable starters waiting in the wings. Clearly, something needed to be done, but Dave Dombrowski's options were limited.
So, welcome to the bargain bin, folks. The Phillies have claimed José Urquidy off waivers from the Chicago White Sox, just days after the Pale Hose had designated the right-hander for assignment earlier this week. To make room on the 40-man roster for his arrival, Philly has stashed Caleb Kilian on the 60-day IL, all but confirming the premature end to his season.
The Phillies have claimed RHP José Urquidy off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Caleb Kilian was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) September 17, 2026
Phillies make the best of a bad situation with José Urquidy claim
This isn't the first time the Phillies have sought out veteran pitching help recently; it was just last month that they signed Nestor Cortes to a one-year deal, in the hopes that the former All-Star could rebound from his offseason arm surgery and provide depth down the stretch. Since then, however, he's only tossed 2.2 (largely unsuccessful) innings at Triple-A. The chances that he'll able to help the big-league club are shrinking by the day.
Urquidy is better equipped to help right now, even if he isn't going to inspire a ton of confidence with his performances on the mound. He began the season with an ugly bullpen stint in Pittsburgh, eventually parlaying some successful work in the minors into another shot with the White Sox. He was far more respectable as a bulk reliever with them, though there are still major concerns surrounding his profile; he's allowed three or more runs in four of his 11 outings this year, despite the fact he's only eclipsed five innings twice.
Still, it's hard to argue with what the Phillies are trying to accomplish here. Urquidy was a well-regarded starter not too long ago -- the Astros nearly traded him for Willson Contreras back in 2022 -- and he's as reliable an innings-eater as any pitcher still available this late in the season. If he takes on the final two starts that Luzardo was scheduled for and saves the bullpen a few bullets prior to October, his tenure in Philadelphia will be an unmitigated success.
In a best-case scenario, Urquidy pitches well enough to effectively replace Kilian in the bullpen and makes the postseason roster. If he struggles, there won't be much harm done, considering the Phillies only owe him the meager amount that remains on his $1.5 million contract.
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