The Arizona Diamondbacks designated outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for assignment Sunday, three years after the Cuban was one of the key players on their 2023 World Series team.
Gurriel was batting just .210 with two home runs and 22 RBIs in 51 games during an injury-plagued season. He tore the ACL in his right knee last September and didn’t make his season debut until April 18, and he later dealt with hamstring and adductor issues.
In 2023, Gurriel was an All-Star when he belted a career-best 24 homers while batting .261 with 82 RBIs. In 17 postseason games, he batted .273 with three homers and 11 RBIs. Arizona lost to the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
“It was a very difficult move,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters Sunday. “The discussion with Lourdes last night was painful for all of us. He has meant so much to this organization, carried at times, led us to a World Series, has been a dependable bat, a great teammate, a big influence in that clubhouse, and to say goodbye to that is never easy.”
Gurriel was in the final season of a three-year, $42 million deal. The team held a $14 club option for 2027 but wasn’t expected to exercise it. The buyout was $5 million.
Gurriel, 32, was finishing up his fourth season with Arizona. He was acquired prior to the 2023 season after playing five campaigns for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Overall, Gurriel has a .271 average with 131 homers and 513 RBIs in 926 career games.
The Diamondbacks are trying to chase down the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild-card berth. The urgency meant the club could no longer be patient for Gurriel to break out of his funk.
“The at-bats, at times, lacked a little bit of consistency,” Lovullo said. “With where we are at this point in the season, we didn’t have the time to get him to that place where he could be that Lourdes Gurriel we remember.”
Arizona recalled infielder Jose Fernandez from Triple-A Reno in a corresponding move.
Fernandez, who turns 23 on Sept. 22, batted .262 with three homers and 16 RBIs in 65 games with the Diamondbacks earlier this season.
Arizona also demoted veteran Zac Gallen to the bullpen and fellow right-hander Michael Soroka will start in his spot on Tuesday against the Miami Marlins.
Gallen, 31, will pitch in long relief. The 2023 All-Star is just 3-9 with a 6.22 ERA in 20 starts this season.
Gallen has started 196 games — 189 for Arizona, seven for the Miami Marlins — without pitching in relief over his eight big-league seasons.
“I just feel like Mike, at this time, is going to give us the best chance to win a baseball game,” Lovullo said of the move.
