Jose Urena

Lore & Background

Ureña grew up in the Dominican Republic and was signed by the Florida Marlins as an international free agent on August 28, 2009. He spent his first two professional seasons in the Dominican Summer League Marlins. He pitched in Low-A ball with the Jamestown Jammers in 2011, advanced to Single-A with the Greensboro Grasshoppers in 2012, and played for the High-A Jupiter Hammerheads in 2013. The 2014 season marked a breakout year in the minors, as he finished with a 13–8 record, 121 strikeouts, and a 3.33 ERA across 162 innings pitched. He began the 2015 season with the New Orleans Zephyrs of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. Ureña was called up to the major leagues for the first time on April 13, 2015, replacing David Phelps on the roster. He made his first major league start on May 26, 2015, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing five runs in 4+2⁄3 innings and taking the 5–1 loss. He finished the 2015 season with a 1–5 record and a 5.25 ERA in 20 games (9 starts). In 2016, he split time between starting and relief roles, ending with a 4–9 record and a 6.13 ERA in 28 games (12 starts). Ureña improved in 2017, appearing in 34 games (28 starts) with a 14–7 record and a 3.82 ERA, and led the major leagues by hitting 14 batters with pitches. He was named the Marlins’ Opening Day starter for 2018. On Opening Day, March 29, against the Chicago Cubs, he allowed a first-pitch home run to Ian Happ and surrendered five runs over 4+ innings in an 8–4 loss. He made 16 starts in 2018 before being placed on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. On August 15, he was ejected in a game against the Atlanta Braves after hitting Ronald Acuña Jr. with the first pitch, leading both teams’ benches to clear; he received a six-game suspension. In his next start, Ureña threw a complete game against the Washington Nationals, allowing one run on two hits and striking out four. He finished the 2018 season by winning six of his final seven starts with a 1.80 ERA over that span. By posting a 3.82 ERA in 2017 and a 3.98 ERA in 2018, Ureña became only the sixth pitcher in Marlins history to record consecutive sub-4.00 ERA seasons. In 2019, he became the eighth pitcher in Marlins history to make consecutive Opening Day starts. After an 0–3 start, he posted eight quality starts over the next nine outings, going 4–3 with a 2.95 ERA in that span. On June 7, 2019, he was placed on the injur

In Their Own Story

The scoreboard reads 3-2, bottom of the eighth, and the Marlins' starter has been pulled after six solid but unspectacular innings. The manager walks to the mound, and the bullpen is already set. Urena is in the circle, already doing his leg-kick warmups, the rubber beneath his cleats scuffed white. He steps in, and the first hitter—a lefty who's been hitting .400 all month—watches the fastball disappear past the outside corner. The second hitter swings and misses. The third takes a changeup for a strike, then fouls the next one back, then taps it into a grounder that the shortstop turns into a routine double play. Three batters, two minutes, and the tension in the stadium drains out like air from a punctured tire. Urena peels off his glove, tosses it to the groundskeeper, and jogs back to the dugout before the crowd's applause has even fully settled. He does not look back at the scoreboard. He doesn't need to.

Reader's Guide

Ureña was primarily a starting pitcher for the Marlins, making 28 starts in 2017 and 16 starts in 2018 before his shoulder injury. He also served as an Opening Day starter in consecutive seasons (2018 and 2019). He was not a high-leverage reliever; his role included starting and occasional relief appearances. His time with the Marlins spanned from 2015 to 2020, covering multiple seasons and many appearances, not brief. He later pitched for the Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, and other teams, often as a starter or swingman.

Did You Know?

• Ureña led the major leagues in hit batters in 2017, hitting 14 batters with pitches.
• He became only the sixth pitcher in Marlins history to record consecutive sub-4.00 ERA seasons (2017 and 2018).
• In 2025, Ureña tied the major league record for most franchises played for in a single season, appearing with five teams.
• He threw a complete game against the Washington Nationals in 2018, allowing one run on two hits and striking out four.