When the Detroit Tigers signed right-hander Jose Urena to a one-year, $3.25 million contract this offseason, general manager Al Avila's decision was met with skepticism.
Remember, the 29-year-old had a 5.25 ERA for the Miami Marlins in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. More importantly, one-year rentals for starting pitchers don't often work in Detroit's favor recently — they seem to spend more time on the injured list than in the rotation. And Avila does not have a history of flipping starting pitchers for gold mines at the trade deadline.
"Jose has a great ability to navigate a lineup and limit damage while keeping his team in the game," Avila said when the signing became official in late December, "which is exactly the stability we’re looking for heading into the 2021 season."