This story was excerpted from Thomas Harding's Rockies Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Right-handed pitcher José Ureña began the season being squeezed out -- first by a flood of post-lockout free agents, then when the Brewers signed him but didn’t have a place for him. Now he is in the embrace of the Rockies, who can point to his early work as an in-season acquisition success story. 

Ureña proudly sported the goofy MVP chain after dominating the lower part of the strike zone, forcing 11 groundouts and holding the Pirates scoreless for six innings of Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Coors Field. He could have been wearing the goofy purple chain links with the “CR” medallion much earlier had the Rockies won either of his previous starts. Nonetheless, Ureña has a 1.45 ERA in 18 2/3 innings since joining the rotation.  

And suddenly one of the Rockies’ glaring weaknesses, starter depth, has become something of a surplus.  

The team heads into the second half with six starters for five spots. All we know is starters for the four-game set at Milwaukee starting Friday, Antonio Senzatela (back from a right shoulder injury), Ureña, Chad Kuhl and Kyle Freeland. Germán Márquez is scheduled next Tuesday against the White Sox in the first home series of the second half. Austin Gomber is either the odd man out or part of an unusual structure.

“There are a few options,” manager Bud Black said. “We can slide a guy into the bullpen. We can go with a six-man rotation. We know we have an upcoming doubleheader [Aug. 2] in San Diego. These are good decisions to have. They’re not problems.” 

In the first half, the only starter beyond the original five was still-developing rookie Ryan Feltner, who went from High-A to the Majors last year. While there have been moments in his seven Major League starts, the team is 1-6 in those games and he has a 6.15 ERA. Triple-A Albuquerque is the spot where he can apply lessons outside the Major League spotlight. 

Being able to turn to an experienced starter -- Ureña, 30, has 119 starts and 175 games overall with the Marlins (2015-20), Tigers (2021), Brewers and Rockies -- is an important shot of confidence for a Rockies team that's 6 1/2 games out of the final National League Wild Card, but holding onto a postseason goal.  

Several different types of pitchers have been effective with the Rockies, but Ureña is the classic ground-ball type the team likes. He’s had 1.87 groundouts to air outs in his three starts with them. His experience was key against the Pirates, a team that was eager to swing. 

Another effect of experience? Ureña pitched well in four relief appearances for the Brewers but was released when rosters were reduced in early May, but he’s not carrying extra emotion into Saturday’s start. 

“For me, it’s normal -- I’ll see it in a positive way,” Ureña said. “We’re playing a different team and we’ve got to do what it takes.”