Urquidy’s pitching style raises concerns

TORONTO — José Urquidy’s style lends itself to contact. He throws a four-seam fastball up in the strike zone without overpowering velocity. Urquidy relies on an above-average spin rate, a bevy of breaking pitches and elite defense behind him to thrive.

Four starts into the 2022 season, it’s fair to wonder whether the method is sustainable. Urquidy has a 5.95 ERA across 192⁄3 innings. No starting pitcher in the American League has allowed more hits — and perhaps it should be worse.

Opponents are slashing .309/ .337/.519 against Urquidy through his first four starts. That’s an .856 OPS. Baseball Savant measures expected statistics like batting average and slugging percentage based on contact quality.

The expected batting average against Urquidy is .329. The expected slugging percentage is .688 — more than 150 points higher than the actual number. His expected ERA? 7.37.

The Astros deal in reality. This is far too small of a sample size from which to draw sweeping conclusions. Urquidy has managed to avoid a total disaster. He threw five innings of one-run ball during his first start and limited Toronto to two earned runs in 52⁄3 innings last week.

Those same Blue Jays bats battered Urquidy for five innings Friday. They managed only four runs. Shortstop Jeremy Peña, third baseman Alex Bregman and right fielder Kyle Tucker stole at least four hits from Toronto with terrific defensive plays.

“If you keep them in the

ballpark, we got action on catching it,” manager Dusty Baker said after the game.

For the most part, Urquidy has heeded Baker’s pleas. He’s allowed just four home runs in the first 192⁄3 innings this season. Urquidy yielded 17 in 107 frames last season. Again, with an arsenal predicated on fourseam fastballs up in the strike zone, some long balls are almost expected.

Toronto averaged 95 mph exit velocity on the 16 balls it put in play against him Friday.

Teams are averaging a 92.6 mph exit velocity on batted balls off Urquidy, who is generating fewer swings and misses while relying on remarkable defense to save him from total disaster. Opponents are whiffing at a 19.2 percent clip against him.

His career average is 24.4 percent.

Urquidy has added a new cutter as another weapon to combat righthanded hitters. Finding a way to generate deception with it — along with his

changeup and slider — is mandatory. If not, more hard contact could come and more questions could permeate a premier member of Houston’s rotation.

Altuve gets two hits in minors

Jake Lamb had a two-run homer and Ryan Pepiot held Sugar Land to two runs in six innings for the win as Oklahoma City edged the visiting Space Cowboys 3-2 on Friday night.

Alex DeGoti homered for Sugar Land, and Jose Altuve began a rehab assignment with the Space Cowboys, going 2for-4

Altuve, who started at second base and hit second in the lineup, hit singles on the first two pitches he saw.

The Astros’ seven-time AllStar has been on the 10-day injured list since April 19 with a left hamstring strain.

Christopher Katsarov / Associated Press Astros righthander José Urquidy has a 5.95 ERA across 192⁄3 innings but has given up just four home runs. The Blue Jays battered Urquidy for seven hits Friday, but he allowed only four runs.