The Cardinals continue their quiet offseason without any major league roster moves, leaving their fanbase increasingly frustrated. Their focus seems locked on cutting payroll unless they end up moving Nolan Arenado.
That’s where Jose Urquidy might come in. The Athletic’s Chad Jennings suggests the Cards could take a calculated risk on the right-hander, who’s recovering from Tommy John surgery.
“If the Cardinals are going to keep their focus on the future, we’ll do the same and take a look at a two-year deal with a guy recovering from Tommy John surgery. Urquidy probably won’t help much this season, but he could give the Cardinals a leg up in their search for 2026 rotation depth,” Jennings wrote.
It’s an interesting play that fits St. Louis’s apparent long-term thinking. Urquidy won’t contribute much in 2025 while recovering, but he could be a valuable piece when he’s back at full strength in 2026. The timing actually works well with the Cardinals’ development pipeline – they’ll have young arms ready for the show by then, but adding a proven starter provides some insurance.
The numbers tell us what we’re looking at with Urquidy. He’s put together a solid 27-16 record with a 3.98 ERA across 70 starts and nine relief appearances. His 2023 was rough (3-3, 5.29 ERA in 16 appearances) before the injury, but there’s reason to believe he can bounce back.
The way I see it, this is exactly the kind of move that makes sense for a team that’s thinking two steps ahead. The Cards could lock up an established arm while his value’s down, then reap the benefits when they’re ready to compete again. But first, they’ll need to figure out what they’re doing with Arenado before making any other significant moves.
