José Urquidy is back on the market. The right-hander had reportedly agreed to a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on December 13, but the deal ultimately fell through. He’ll head back to the Dominican Republic to pitch in the LIDOM playoffs until another opportunity arises.
It’s unclear what caused the Diamondbacks or Urquidy to back off the deal. At the time, the club was finalizing a deal to bring back Merrill Kelly. The club also added Michael Soroka to stabilize the bottom of their rotation on December 12.
Even with their two signings, it was the bare minimum to field a starting rotation in 2026. It’s a rotation that lacks depth, making it vulnerable to injuries like in 2025. Assuming no further moves are made, the team will be relying on its prospects to fill holes through their rotation.
Why the Jose Urquidy Deal Fell Through
Players look for opportunities to showcase themselves. After the additions of Kelly and Soroka, the Diamondbacks’ 2026 rotation appears set.
Urquidy’s track record following the 2022 season also hurts his market. Since that championship season with the Houston Astros, he’s just pitched 65.2 innings. Since then, he’s battled injuries throughout his career. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2024 following an elbow injury that spring.
Fully recovered from surgery, Urquidy is looking for an opportunity to pitch in a major league rotation. Given that it’s been three years since he was last a viable starter, the likelihood of signing a major league deal this winter is extremely low. However, he could earn an invite to big league Spring Training.
Diamondbacks’ 2026 Rotation Depth
The Diamondbacks will open the 2026 season with this starting five.
- RHP Merrill Kelly
- RHP Ryne Nelson
- LHP Eduardo Rodríguez
- RHP Brandon Pfaadt
- RHP Michael Soroka
Given that Kelly is 37, Rodríguez is 33 and injury-prone, and Soroka’s injury history, it’s hard to see that rotation staying together. For the Diamondbacks to compete in 2026, they’ll need as many innings as they can from those five. Kelly, Nelson, and Pfaadt have proven to be reliable workhorses in the rotation.
It doesn’t help that they’ll be without Blake Walston and Tommy Henry to start the year. Both left-handers underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025 and will open the 2026 season on the injured list.
Other rotation options on their 40-man roster include Cristian Mena, Dylan Ray, Kohl Drake, and Mitch Bratt. The four pitchers have one combined start and 9.2 innings at the major league level, all of them coming from Mena. So if any of their intended starting five go down with injuries, the Diamondbacks will be relying on inexperienced pitchers.
Mena is a candidate to make the club as a long man to open the season. Down to his final minor league option, they’ll need to find a role for him. In theory, a long reliever role would allow him to stay mostly stretched out and fill in a rotation spot when needed. But it rarely ever works out that way.
He flashed brilliance in three major league appearances in 2025. However, arm injuries have ended his last two seasons. In 2025, he suffered a teres major strain in his right shoulder a game against the Cincinnati Reds.
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