Diamondbacks Eat Lourdes Gurriel Jr.'s Contract in Desperate Wild Card Move
MLB Trade Rumors reported the Diamondbacks released Lourdes Gurriel Jr., ending his run with the team just shy of four full seasons.
The Arizona Diamondbacks just cut bait on Lourdes Gurriel Jr., deciding they would rather eat the rest of his contract than let him take another swing in a playoff race.
Gurriel signed a three-year, $42 million deal after helping Arizona reach the 2023 World Series. Now, they are paying him to go away. That is the baseball equivalent of buying a luxury car, crashing it, and paying the tow truck driver extra just so you never have to look at it again.
The numbers explain the front office panic. Gurriel tore his right ACL last September colliding with Blaze Alexander, rushed back by April, and looked completely broken at the plate.
He was slashing a brutal .210/.254/.290 with just two home runs and a .544 OPS over 51 games this season. Add in hamstring and adductor strains, and his lower half has basically been held together by athletic tape and hope.
Arizona is fighting for their postseason lives, sitting a game and a half behind the San Diego Padres for a National League Wild Card spot. You cannot carry a sub-.600 OPS in a playoff race, no matter how much money is attached to the name.
They already dumped Max Kepler this week, proving the front office is in full survival mode. To fill the void, the Diamondbacks called up Jose Fernandez from Triple-A Reno to provide some infield depth.
Bettors looking at Arizona's futures should note that their outfield is now entirely dependent on Corbin Carroll and Lars Nootbaar staying hot to keep the offense afloat.
Gurriel will hit the open market, but with a $5 million buyout looming for his 2027 option, nobody is claiming that contract on waivers. He will likely have to settle for a minor-league prove-it deal this winter once his legs actually heal.