Manager Don Mattingly said Urena will open the season in the Marlins' rotation, Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald reports.
After battling for a roster spot last spring, Urena will enter camp with a guaranteed spot in the team's starting rotation this season. The 26-year-old pitched just four times during the first month of the 2017 season, but he was thrust into the rotation in May following an injury to Edinson Volquez (elbow) and never looked back. Over the remainder of the season, Urena posted a solid 3.97 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 28 starts, though some lackluster underlying numbers (5.20 FIP and 6.0 K/9) suggest he could be in line for regression in 2018. He does, however, pitch half of his games in pitcher-friendly Marlins Park, and his spot in the rotation should be safe given Miami's lack of other quality options.