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BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 26: Pitcher Julio Urias #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers walks off the mound as Adam Duvall #18 of the Boston Red Sox rounds the bases on his three-run home run during the sixth inning at Fenway Park on August 26, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs have dealt with an astonishing wave of injuries to starting pitchers over the past month. Almost the entire opening day starting rotation is on the Injured List currently, and the recent blows were Edward Cabrera & Ben Brown, who both went to the IL on Wednesday.
The Cubs are going to be steadily linked to starters via trade, but what if Jed Hoyer looked to the external market to sign a pitcher instead of trading for one? One potential option could be Julio Urias, who is currently pitching in the Mexican League but has a plethora of MLB experience. Understandably, Urias comes with some baggage that the Cubs may not want to take on, but when push comes to shove….
#Cubs starting pitchers currently on the IL:
-Cade Horton -Justin Steele -Matthew Boyd -Jameson Taillon -Edward Cabrera -Ben Brown
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Cubs Should Take a Flyer on Julio Urias
GettyBOSTON, MA – AUGUST 26: Pitcher Julio Urias #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers stands on the mound after giving up a three-run home run to the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning at Fenway Park on August 26, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
There was a report by SI.com’s Matt Levine’s back in April that Julia Urias was fielding interest from several MLB teams:
“However, teams didn’t appear to be showing much interest in the left-hander — at least until now. According to Boras, Urías is now drawing interest from multiple teams across the baseball landscape, but it remains to be seen if he will end up signing.”
“Teams ask me about him all the time,” Boras said to the Los Angeles Times. “With the pitching market in this world, Julio could play in a minute. But I think it’s about him deciding if it’s something he wants to go do right now.”
With the Cubs’ dire need for starters, it could be worth at least consideration.
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Julio Urias’s MLB Career
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 13: Julio Urias #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Julio Urias was suspended under MLB’s domestic violence policy, but that was back in 2023 and 2024.
Urias last pitched in 2023 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he boasted an ERA of 4.60 over 117.1 innings.
In 2022, Urias led the NL in ERA with a 2.16 mark over 175 innings pitched in 31 starts.
Over his 8-year MLB career, Urias has made 122 total starts (717 innings) and holds an ERA of 3.11. He’s still just 29-years-old.
He had a dominant stretch as a starter from 2020 to 2022.
Look, it’s at least worth considering for the Cubs, who have to find some sort of fix for their rotation issues, or else Chicago is in serious jeopardy of not making the playoffs this season.
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TJ French covers the MLB for Heavy. TJ is a graduate of the University of Georgia. He has 2+ years of writing experience. Follow TJ French on X: @tj_french5 More about TJ French