ANAHEIM -- It’s been a chaotic week for José Ureña.
The 33-year-old right-hander was designated for assignment by the New York Mets one day after giving up five earned runs over three innings in his season debut on April 28. After clearing waivers, the Mets sent him outright to Triple-A Syracuse on May 1, but Ureña elected free agency.
On Monday, Ureña signed a Major League deal with the Blue Jays. One day later, he made his debut with his new team in Tuesday’s 8-3 loss to the Angels at the Big A.
“It’s the game, it’s baseball,” Ureña said of his whirlwind start to 2025. “Sometimes, [it] doesn’t go the way you want. You try to put your mind right and think, and be accountable. Try to have faith and trust what you got, and take the opportunity whenever they bring it.”
It was also an opportunity for the Blue Jays, who have been in need of rotation depth as they await the returns of Max Scherzer (right thumb inflammation) and Alek Manoah (right UCL surgery) from the injured list. They’ve also lost pitchers Erik Swanson, Ryan Burr, Nick Sandlin, and Ricky Tiedemann to injury this season. As a result, Blue Jays’ starting pitchers have had the fifth-worst ERA in the majors entering Tuesday at 4.49.
But bringing Ureña aboard wasn’t a desperation play; it was a move that the team had eyed for some time.
“We’ve liked him for a while, we know what he’s about,” manager John Schneider said. “He’s a pro.”
And Ureña gave the Blue Jays pro stuff in his outing. He left a sinker over the heart of the plate for Taylor Ward in the bottom of the first inning, setting him up for a game-tying two-run homer. But after that, Ureña settled in.
Schneider mentioned pregame that the plan was for Ureña to throw anywhere from 75-80 pitches and that he would consider it a good day if the righty managed to pitch into the fifth inning -- that’s exactly what Ureña did. He only allowed two hits the rest of the way after giving up the homer in the first, finishing his Blue Jays debut with two earned runs allowed on four hits with two strikeouts over 4 1/3 frames.
By the time he was pulled in the bottom of the fifth, Ureña was at a season-high 73 pitches, right around Schneider’s expected pitch count for him. Even if Ureña himself was hoping to pitch a little deeper into the game.
“I feel pretty good,” Ureña said. “But I try to be smart. Try to go step by step, and don’t push it too hard. … But sometimes things [are out of your] control. … I couldn’t get more deep into the game and help the team more.”
Ureña’s changeup was the star of the show on Tuesday, accounting for 42% of his pitches. Out of his seven swings and misses, six of them were on his changeup.
“That was the pitch for the game,” Ureña said. “We tried to attack the hitter down because they knew 100% that I’m going to challenge inside, and you couldn’t solve the game.”
Even if the game didn’t end in a win, the Blue Jays would be in good shape if they can consistently get outings from Ureña like the one he had on Tuesday. That’s why he’s here. He wants the chance to be a starter. He wants to win games. He wants to help, and that’s exactly what Toronto needs on the mound right now.
“He’s been a good pitcher for a long time in this league,” Schneider said. “... If he can step in and give us some stability, it’s a huge plus for us.”