The White Sox made their latest deadline move Sunday by turning to a familiar trade partner and bringing in a pitcher with a much bigger résumé than the prospect they sent out.
Chicago dealt pitching prospect Felix Doroteo to Pittsburgh for right-hander José Urquidy, another transaction between the two clubs after the teams matched up on a deal just a couple of weeks ago. That earlier swap sent Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert east in a package that also included the No. 34 pick in the MLB Draft, which the White Sox used on Landon Thome, the son of MLB great Jim Thome.
This one is a different kind of bet. Doroteo, 21, has spent his first season in the organization in the Arizona Complex League. In 16 games, the six-foot-six righty posted a 4.50 ERA with 24 strikeouts and 11 walks.
Urquidy is the more recognizable piece by a wide margin. He has seven seasons of MLB experience and spent the first five years of his career as a starter with the Astros.
After elbow surgery in 2024, he landed in Detroit and struggled to resemble the pitcher he had been. Pittsburgh then took a shot on him, but the results at the big-league level were limited.
This season, he has an 8.53 ERA in 6.1 innings in the majors.
Still, there’s enough here for Chicago to treat this as a worthwhile flyer. The Pirates were willing to move on, and the Sox were able to get him without giving up much more than a low-level prospect. His major-league numbers since surgery are a concern, but his Triple-A work has been much more encouraging.
In 17 starts at Triple-A this season, Urquidy has a 3.66 ERA with 78 strikeouts and 18 walks. He’s not winning with overpowering velocity or one wipeout pitch.
Instead, he leans on a deep mix and has done a good job keeping the ball from being squared up. Control remains his best trait.
That gives the White Sox a pitcher they believe can translate that minor-league form back to the majors. He has done it before, and his experience could matter for a young roster.
And with Chicago’s rotation still looking thin, Urquidy isn’t just a bullpen-only gamble. At his best, he can still work as a starter if the need arises.
That said, this probably isn’t the final answer for the Sox on the pitching market. The front office still looks likely to chase a more effective starter before the deadline passes.
But adding depth never hurts, especially with rookie Noah Schultz struggling and potentially headed for a demotion soon. The alternatives in the system don’t exactly jump off the page, and asking someone like David Sandlin to come in and steady things would be a lot.
Urquidy at least brings a track record the White Sox can point to. He also went to the World Series three times with the Astros.
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