Starting pitchers typically require somewhere in the neighborhood of 14 to 16 months to recover after having the replacement of the ulnar collateral ligament.
The Astros, off to a surprisingly rough start on the heels of a seventh consecutive appearance in the American League Championship Series, have been decimated by injuries throughout their rotation this year. Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander each missed most of April but have since returned; Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr., both recovering from major arm surgeries, won’t come back until some point in the second half; and Cristian Javier, like Urquidy, recently experienced forearm discomfort that forced him to halt his throwing progression.
Urquidy was a critical member of the Astros’ rotation from 2020 to 2022, posting a 3.71 ERA in 301 innings during the regular season. In 2023, he struggled with a 5.29 ERA in 63 innings while missing more than three months with shoulder discomfort.
