Latest news with #Gurriel
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phillies Trade Idea Replaces Max Kepler With D-Backs' Lourdes Gurriel
Phillies Trade Idea Replaces Max Kepler With D-Backs' Lourdes Gurriel originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Phillies will have to hope that multiple teams sell at the deadline. One of them could be the Arizona Diamondbacks, and there's a player on their roster who could fit in well with Philadelphia. That player is none other than Lourdes Gurriel Jr, a left fielder who has swung the bat at a high level throughout his career. Advertisement Gurriel will never impress anyone too much with his numbers, but he's a steady big leaguer with a .277 average and a 112 career OPS+. There's a reason he's been in the league for eight years and looks to have many more seasons ahead of him. At 31 years old, he could be somebody the Phillies rely on for the next year or two. In a proposed trade idea from Tim Kelly of OnPattison, he spoke about how the Phillies could get creative on the trade market, adding that Gurriel could be a potential option for them to pursue. Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Max Kepler (17) doubles against the New York Yankees in the first inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images "Gurriel was an All-Star in 2023, and drove in 11 runs in the postseason as the Snakes made a shocking run past the Phillies and into the World Series. After that, the Diamondbacks re-signed him to a three-year/$42 million deal that includes a player opt-out after 2025 and a $14 million club option for 2027," Kelly wrote. Advertisement "The thing about Gurriel is if you trade for him, he's going to be your everyday left fielder. He would be an upgrade over Kepler, but with a .747 OPS since the start of the 2024 season, perhaps not enough to justify taking on the remainder of his contract." His contract is a bit worrisome, as Kelly mentioned, but sometimes, teams have to deal with financial issues to win a World Series. If the Phillies think he can be their everyday left fielder and would be an upgrade over somebody like Max Kepler, there's reason to believe this type of trade makes sense. Related: Phillies Trade Idea Lands Blue Jays Star, Replaces Alec Bohm This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Reuters
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Reports: Padres land Yuli Gurriel on minor league deal
February 18 - First baseman Yuli Gurriel, a key part of two World Series championship teams with the Houston Astros, agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres, multiple media outlets reported on Monday. Gurriel will attempt to make the Padres' Opening Day roster in spring training. If he winds up in the majors, he reportedly will make $1.25 million with the opportunity to earn another $1 million in incentives. Should Gurriel be part of the San Diego squad, he figures to back up first baseman Luis Arraez while also getting at-bats as the designated hitter. The 40-year-old Cuban native spent most of the 2024 season with the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A Gwinnett affiliate before he was acquired by Kansas City on Aug. 31. In 18 major league games with the Royals, he hit .241 with a .338 on-base percentage, a .296 slugging percentage, no homers and six RBIs. Gurriel was the American League's batting champion (.319) in 2021, the same year he won a Gold Glove. He hit better than .300 in the postseason in 2017 and 2022 as the Astros won both championships. Gurriel spent seven seasons in Houston (2016-22) before playing for the Miami Marlins in 2023. His best season in terms of power production was 2019, when he socked 31 homers and drove in 104 runs. In 927 career games, Gurriel owns a .280/.326/.438 batting line with 98 home runs and 468 RBIs.
New York Times
18-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Padres agree to minor-league deal with Yuli Gurriel, who will compete for bench spot: Source
The San Diego Padres added a potential bench bat Monday, agreeing to a minor-league deal with veteran first baseman Yuli Gurriel, a team source confirmed to The Athletic. Gurriel, 40, received a non-roster invitation to the team's big-league camp. Gurriel is a .280/.326/.438 hitter over parts of nine big-league seasons. Gurriel has produced strong contact rates throughout his career, but he has shown a significant decline over the past three years. The longtime Houston Astros player spent much of last season with the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate before joining the Kansas City Royals in time to help them reach the MLB playoffs. Advertisement Gurriel is expected to compete with such players as Gavin Sheets, Mike Brosseau and Tirso Ornelas for a spot on the Padres' bench. Manager Mike Shildt said last week that batting champion Luis Arráez will be San Diego's primary first baseman, leaving the designated hitter spot largely open. Gurriel could help fill the latter role. Gurriel will be the oldest player in San Diego's camp, ahead of Yu Darvish and Martín Maldonado, who are both 38. During the 2017 World Series, Gurriel directed a racist gesture at Darvish, which resulted in a five-game suspension (Gurriel was not required to serve the suspension until the start of the 2018 season). Gurriel later publicly apologized to Darvish, who wrote in a Twitter post: 'What he (did) today isn't right, but I believe we should put our effort into learning rather than to accuse him. If we can take something from this, that is a giant step for mankind.'
