The Arizona Diamondbacks designated Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for assignment on Sunday, a move that all but closes a four-year chapter for the former All-Star outfielder, via the MLB transaction log.
Arizona announced the transaction before its series finale against the Texas Rangers and recalled infielder Jose Fernandez from Triple-A Reno to take Gurriel’s spot on the active roster.
Gurriel arrived in December 2022 with catcher Gabriel Moreno in the trade that sent Daulton Varsho to Toronto.
He became a central piece of Arizona’s 2023 National League pennant run, earning his only All-Star selection while hitting 24 home runs and posting a .772 OPS.
He added three homers and 11 RBIs in that postseason.
After the World Series, the Diamondbacks signed him to a three-year, $42 million contract covering 2024 through 2026, with a $14 million club option for 2027 that includes a $5 million buyout.
The decline began late in 2025, when Gurriel tore his right ACL on Sept. 1. He returned ahead of the typical 9-to-10-month timetable, debuting April 18. The accelerated comeback did not stick.
A left hamstring strain in May and a right adductor strain in July sent him back to the injured list.
Limited to 51 games, the 32-year-old Cuban slashed .210/.254/.290 with two home runs, 22 RBIs and a .544 OPS — all career lows. He was activated again when rosters expanded Sept. 1 but started only a handful of games.
Arizona is fighting for the final National League wild-card berth and entered Sunday 1½ games behind San Diego.
With Gurriel producing well below replacement level, the club chose to open a roster spot rather than keep riding a slumping veteran through the stretch.
Because any claiming team would inherit both the remainder of his 2026 salary and the 2027 buyout, he is widely expected to clear waivers and be released. A late-season minor-league deal elsewhere is considered unlikely.
A career .271 hitter over nine major-league seasons with Toronto and Arizona, Gurriel finishes his Diamondbacks tenure as a 2023 World Series contributor whose body never fully recovered from last year’s knee injury.
The club will almost certainly decline the 2027 option and pay the buyout, making Sunday’s designation the practical end of his time in the desert.
