José Urquidy will be available to pitch for Phillies on Friday vs. Mets; Alec Bohm moves to fifth in batting order

NEW YORK — Don Mattingly was riding to the ballpark here Thursday, still unsure of the Phillies’ pitching plan for the next few days, when a name came across his phone.

José Urquidy.

Two days after getting designated for assignment by the White Sox, Urquidy was claimed off waivers by the Phillies. The veteran right-hander is set to meet the team in New York and is scheduled to pitch Friday, according to Mattingly, likely providing bulk innings within a bullpen game.

“He’s going to be available tomorrow, I can say that much,” Mattingly said. “But how we’ll run the game, we’re not quite sure. We haven’t got there yet.”

» READ MORE: Jesús Luzardo ‘definitely concerned’ as inflamed left shoulder lands him on the injured list

The Phillies have a hole in the rotation after star lefty Jesús Luzardo went on the injured list with an inflamed left shoulder. Aside from being a critical blow to their chances for a deep postseason run, it left them with a short-term need for a starter against the Mets.

Rather than bringing a pitcher from triple A, the Phillies decided to divide the start between relievers. Even so, Mattingly prefers to use at least one pitcher for multiple innings rather than passing the baton inning by inning.

Urquidy, 31, started playoff games for the Astros once upon a time but missed the 2024 season due to Tommy John elbow surgery and has struggled to reestablish himself. He had an 8.53 ERA in five relief appearances for the Pirates before getting traded in July to the White Sox and posting a 4.37 ERA in six games (one start).

So, with Luzardo still not cleared to resume throwing — “Until he’s kind of pain-free, it’s going to be no-throw,” Mattingly said as the lefty ran sprints in the outfield — the Phillies took a flier on Urquidy.

Urquidy isn’t eligible for the postseason roster. Really, though, the Phillies only want him to eat innings here against the Mets and probably next Thursday night at home against the Brewers.

Mattingly said Urquidy “has been throwing” since the White Sox took him off the roster. In his most recent appearance, on Sept. 8, he threw 65 pitches in four innings and gave up two runs on five hits and a walk.

“I think missing Zeus’ start puts you in a bullpen game in some fashion, and a bullpen game one [inning] at a time is a little different than having a bulk guy in there who can throw 70-75 pitches,” Mattingly said. “So, we’re in a little better shape now.”

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The Phillies ran a bullpen game last Saturday in Atlanta after scratching Luzardo from his scheduled start. In that case, they opened with lefty reliever Tim Mayza, who threw 31 pitches in three scoreless innings.

Mattingly mentioned Mayza and lefty Tanner Banks as relievers who can go multiple innings. Urquidy will provide additional coverage.

“We’re just built a little better — we’re a little more prepared, I should say — for this game than the one in Atlanta,” Mattingly said. “Because [scratching Luzardo] happened so late in Atlanta.”

The move for Urquidy also enabled the Phillies to give rookie righty Andrew Painter an extra day of rest. Painter is scheduled start Saturday before Cristopher Sánchez in the series finale Sunday.

With two hits and three walks in Wednesday night’s 3-0 victory in Washington, Alec Bohm hiked his average and OPS above .250 and .700, respectively, for the first time since the third game of the season.

“I was in a pretty deep hole early on,” Bohm said. “For me, it was focusing less on what’s my batting average today and more on let’s go out and try to win a game today. Because the numbers are what they are. Can’t really do much about it at this point, so let’s try to go help the team win and contribute in some way.

“Getting lost in that for a while, they’ve found their way back to, I guess, more of the norm for myself.”

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It’s an admirable outlook for a player who will be a free agent after the season. But with a solid second half — .314 average, .844 OPS since the All-Star break, entering play Thursday — righty-hitting Bohm also has moved into the No. 5 spot in the order and helped to balance the top half of a lineup that’s heavy on lefties with Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and Luis Arraez.

“I like it,” Arraez said through a team interpreter. “I like it because they’re bringing a lot of lefty pitchers to us right there. It gives Bohmer an opportunity to produce. And it’s good for a team to give him those chances.”

Mattingly met with the relievers as a group in left field before batting practice. The Phillies rank 20th in the majors with a 4.31 bullpen ERA. ... Top prospect Aidan Miller, a shortstop, made his second start in a row at third base for double-A Reading in the Eastern League semifinal series against Hartford. ... To add Urquidy to the 40-man roster, the Phillies moved reliever Caleb Kilian to the 60-day injured list. Kilian is sidelined by a strained oblique muscle in his left side. They will have to make a move to get Urquidy on the active roster. ... The Phillies will face Mets rookie lefty Zac Thornton (4-5, 3.44 ERA) at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

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The Phillies and Braves are set to square off again this weekend in Atlanta, so it's the perfect time to check in with Jeff Francoeur, who played for both teams and calls Braves games on TV and radio. Francoeur joined Phillies Extra to help break down the race for NL East supremacy. Watch here.

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