Diamondbacks Designate Gurriel Jr. for Assignment

The Arizona Diamondbacks have decided to move on from Lourdes Gurriel Jr., designating the veteran outfielder for assignment as they continue their push for a National League Wild Card spot.

Arizona announced the move Sunday, opening a spot on its 40-man roster while calling up infielder Jose Fernandez from Triple-A Reno to take Gurriel’s place on the active roster.

The decision brings an apparent end to Gurriel’s nearly four-year tenure with the Diamondbacks, which included some of the most important moments of his career.

Arizona acquired Gurriel and catcher Gabriel Moreno from the Toronto Blue Jays in December 2022 in the trade that sent Daulton Varsho to Toronto. Both players quickly became key contributors for the Diamondbacks, helping the club reach the World Series in 2023.

Gurriel was rewarded for that performance the following offseason, signing a three-year, $42 million contract to remain in Arizona. His offensive production remained steady in 2024, but the veteran has struggled to recapture that form over the past two seasons.

Gurriel hit .248 with a .295 on-base percentage and a .418 slugging percentage across 546 plate appearances in 2025. His season ended with a torn right ACL after he suffered the injury while attempting to avoid an outfield collision with former teammate Blaze Alexander.

The original expectation was that Gurriel would need most of the following season to recover. Instead, he returned surprisingly early, making his 2026 debut on April 18.

His return has not produced the bounce-back Arizona hoped to see.

Gurriel has hit just .210/.254/.290 with two home runs in 210 plate appearances this season. He has also dealt with additional injuries, missing nearly two and a half months because of a left hamstring strain and a right adductor strain.

With Arizona competing for a postseason berth, the Diamondbacks appear to have determined that Gurriel can no longer provide enough production to justify keeping his roster spot.

The financial side of the decision also makes a trade or waiver claim unlikely. Gurriel has a $14 million club option for 2027 that includes a $5 million buyout, while roughly $1 million remains on his 2026 salary. If he clears waivers, Arizona can release him and allow him to enter free agency.

Gurriel will turn 33 in October, making his next opportunity an interesting one. His recent decline and injury history will likely limit his market, but teams could still view him as a potential bounce-back candidate after another offseason removed from his ACL recovery.

The Diamondbacks are also reshaping an outfield that has struggled outside of Corbin Carroll. Max Kepler was released earlier this week, while Lars Nootbaar is positioned to receive significant playing time in left field.

Jordan Lawlar could take on a larger role in center, with Ryan Waldschmidt and Tommy Troy also available for work at both positions.

For Gurriel, the next step will likely come after he clears waivers. A minor-league agreement or inexpensive one-year contract could give him an opportunity to rebuild his value heading into 2027.