Veteran first baseman Yuli Gurriel has drawn interest from MLB clubs ahead of the 2024 season, reports Francys Romero. “Soon, a decision must be made,” Gurriel told Romero.
After seven seasons with the Astros, Gurriel spent the 2023 season with Miami. The Marlins inked him to a minor league pact late in the 2022-23 offseason, and Gurriel won a roster spot in spring training. He got out to a strong start, hitting .291/.350/.440 through his first 157 trips to the plate. However, Gurriel’s bat went cold in mid-June and never really recovered. Over his final 172 plate appearances, he slashed just .204/.262/.287 with only one home run.
That marked the second straight lackluster season at the plate for the now-39-year-old Gurriel, who posted a .242/.288/.360 output in his final season as an Astro. As recently as 2022, he’d turned in a robust .319/.383/.462 slash with 15 home runs, but Gurriel’s age, slow finish and back-to-back shaky seasons seem likely to limit him to another minor league deal — assuming he indeed plans to continue playing for what would be a ninth MLB season.
It’s not clear which clubs have shown interest in the Cuban-born veteran, though a few speculative landing spots come to mind. The Twins had interest in Gurriel last winter, and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey suggested earlier this winter that he could look to bring in a first base option from outside the organization. The D-backs have been tied to several right-handed-hitting DH options, and Gurriel’s younger brother of course re-signed in Arizona earlier this winter. The Mariners have been linked to more expensive righty-swinging DH options but are working with some known financial restrictions. The Guardians gravitate toward low-strikeout hitters like Gurriel (career 11.4%) and have a very left-handed lineup. Gurriel could be a right-handed addition to a first base/DH mix that includes lefties Josh Naylor and top prospect Kyle Manzardo.
On a minor league deal, there’s any number of fits that could be drawn up for Gurriel, who carries a career .281/.326/.440 batting line in 3634 plate appearances. He’s just two home runs shy of 100 for his career and is 61 hits away from 1000, so there are some round numbers in his future if he can latch on with another big league team. Gurriel, of course, didn’t make his MLB debut until age 32. He’d previously starred in his native Cuba since making his pro debut as a 17-year-old back in 2001. Gurriel is one of the most prolific hitters in the history of the Cuban National Series, evidenced by a career .320/.425/.599 batting line in nearly 5300 plate appearances in his home country’s top league.
Twins should give him a cheap minor league deal with a chance to make the team in Spring training. Maybe he could platoon at 1st base with Kiriloff is he hits enough…
Get ready to learn Korean, Yuli 🙂
Amazing how in 2017 and 2018 cheater had some great numbers.
2017: 118 wRC+
2018: 107 wRC+
2019: 131 wRC+
2021: 133 wRC+
Derp.
Apparently you don’t know his story. MLB teams had been trying to get him to defect from Cuba for a decade prior to when he did. He only did because his brother decided to make the jump and he didn’t want him to have to do it alone. Before he defected he was seen as the best positional player in the world not in MLB. He was such a great hitter that had he jumped to MLB in his mid 20s he would be considered the Cuban Ichiro today. That’s how good he was. He chose his home in Cuba remaining with his family and friends over the millions MLB was dangling in front of him. He still got to play around the world and was in Japan when they defected (Cuba allows their players to play abroad everywhere but the US). Now tell me this, do you honestly think someone with that kind of integrity and character who would routinely pass on millions of dollars would allow their reputation to get stained by cheating? Yes, the Astros cheated back then. That doesn’t mean every player on the team condoned it and took part. I am really sick of this narrative on how quickly so many people are to pass judgement on somebody and attempt to completely destroy their character with zero proof or evidence. This is America where you are innocent until PROVEN guilty!!
RS
“Now tell me this, do you honestly think someone with that kind of integrity and character who would routinely pass on millions of dollars”
Because those things are unrelated?
Oh please stop with this ridiculous narrative that you weren’t a part of it because you didn’t like. Altuve, Gurriel all knew darn good and well what was going on. Where was the voice of reason and integrity you speak of when this was going on? Altuve and Gurriel didn’t approve but they sure didn’t mind the wins and unfair advantages for the team did they. This is what annoys the other fanbases. We don’t hate your success. We don’t hate your rings. We don’t even hate the team or the players. We hate the fanbases that wasn’t used to seeing a winning product on the field before 2015 make all these sorry excuses for wrong doing and then have the audacity to claim jealousy and even antagonize opposing critics for pointing out misconduct. “Let it go” you may say. Yeah this probably wouldn’t even be mentioned anymore if shameless @$$tros fans had any humility or if Carlos Correa expressed any sort of accountability as opposed to defensive attacks whenever this topic came up. If you are aware of something wrong that’s going on around you and you have the ability to speak up. You have the option to mind your business which is perfectly fine. But then don’t turn around and claim yourself to be an individual of honesty or integrity. You shy away and cowered as to not go against the grain. And certainly don’t make excuses and baseless positive assumptions about the character of persons you have never met. Please spare me the apologist and even at times deflective rhetoric of what the Astros did. They were wrong plain and simple. If my Yankees got caught banging on trash cans I’d have the character to be openly disgusted and condemn the behavior. I wouldn’t make excuses and say ridiculous thing like “well Judge is a good wholesome guy how could he possibly be involved.” Because he didn’t say anything you dimwitt!
You may as well have posted your own life story. It would be just as relevant to the cheating accusations as what you just posted.
SBM
“Gurriel has not kicked every kitten he has encountered, thus we must conclude that he did not participate in any cheating scheme. I rest my case your honor”
How did these idiots pass middle school with a complete lack of ability to reason?
“Where was the voice of reason and integrity you speak of when this was going on?”
Team leader Brian McCann, a respected veteran and Beltran’s former teammate in NYY, confronted him and he still wouldn’t stop the system. Hinch destroyed the monitors multiple times, they put new ones in. The bench coach was a leader in the conspiracy. I keep seeing this “wHy DiDn’T tHeY sPeAk Up ThOuGh!?!?” stuff from people. How do you know Altuve didn’t, and Beltran and the rest ignored him just like they ignored McCann and Hinch and a few others? What should Altuve have said? Should he have beaten someone with a bat like a mafioso?
There sure are a lot of holier-than-thou keyboard warriors who demand ridiculously high standards from people they never met, based on things they have no personal knowledge of. Standards they themselves almost certainly would never live up to in the same situation.
BKS
“What should Altuve have said? Should he have beaten someone with a bat like a mafioso?
There sure are a lot of holier-than-thou keyboard warriors who demand ridiculously high standards from people they never met, based on things they have no personal knowledge of. Standards they themselves almost certainly would never live up to in the same situation.”
Very good point.
I’ve worked in social services previously and things like abuse, neglect and exploitation are mandatory to report. They had to make them mandatory to report because they were going unreported. That wasn’t because people condone those behaviors, but because most people don’t like to rock the boat. Look up the bystander effect.
It’s very easy to say that Astros players should have confronted their teammates or gone public (at least anonymously). Because, well, they obviously should have. But many of the people saying that are overlooking unethical or illegal things at their own jobs.
well he already know how to look Asian, as i recall from one of those tainted games against Darvish.
He offended the Asian community as a whole in October 2017 after taking Yu Darvish deep, I thought that would disqualify him the Asian leagues. Or is he given a pass, because, *checks notes* inclusion?
If only a former 2020 CY winner was given the same grace and opportunity at redemption. So, to clarify, extorting MLB players is a justifiable reason to receive zero mention in an article on MLBTR but racism is not. Cool, just making sure I’m keeping up with this post lucid America. One of the two can still provide value for a MLB club, any guesses on which one…? Any guesses on which actually gets that opportunity in 2024, or is there a different set of consequences based on immutable characteristics? If so, can someone share those new rules? Thanks!
That pic looks like his brother, El Pina.
No, same barber
Herpes sore-ridden, cheating racist. No thanks.
He’s persona non grata in Japan due to his racist past, so probably just Cuba left at his point.
Don’t forget the Mexican league. A lot of names play there every year.
If this is in the “interest” category then add Chaim Breslow to the list.
I’m surprised he didn’t play in the KBO in 2023. Probably would have raised his stock for a return to MLB in 2024.
He’d have plenty of Asians to pick from in deciding who to troll
He’s no longer welcomed in Asian countries
Ah, I vaguely remember this but yes there was an incident with Yu Darvish during the 2017 World Series I believe. Well, he’s not very bright. Would have made some good money in either the KBO or NPB…
Probably would have raised his stock but his racist ways caused it to flop.
He should go on the comedy circuit. Hear his stand up impressions are pretty good. Maybe Marky Mark will hire him as stunt double
He and Josh Donaldson should form a band
Josh is still out there in free agency too so anyone wanting to gamble on a bounceback year, he’s a guy I suppose…
Bounce back how? Run back the Confederacy?
Maybe, he could find a club in Iowa. Looks like they support insurrectionists still.
why for calling Tim Anderson ‘Jackie?’ when TA said he WAS Jackie Robinson? What credibility does TA even have at this point? By the way, WHITE Josh Donaldson was suspended for that, while non white guriel was slapped on the wrist. Nice try.
I agree. What a white male
As a Guardians fan I would not be opposed to this signing. After hearing CLE was interested in Franmil Reyes before he departed for Korea (only because he was cheap and no other team wanted him), Gurriel is about the best we can hope for from this ownership/FO.
What about Carlos Santana? He’s still available no? Plus he’s a known quantity he did quite well for you guys, and he can’t be super expensive either, even for a team as frugal as the Guardians.
Gurriel made $1.2 million last season, Santana made $6.7 million. Santana is “super expensive” by comparison, especially for a team as “frugal” as the Guardians
6.7 million is a lot for Cleveland, you’re right, sadly so…
Precisely. CLE is being cheaper than they normally are because they’re fretting over the Ballys TV fiasco. They still don’t know who will be televising their games this year, so they’re not shopping at Dollar Tree, they’re rummaging through Dollar Tree’s dumpster. I’m still stunned they shelled out $4M for a bum like Hedges who is no doubt gonna be their biggest move of the winter.
He made a racist action that was 2 seconds long and was atrocious.
He immediately apologized for it , was forgiven by Darvish, and was suspended.
It was an unacceptable mistake based his culture and his upbringing. Again, unacceptable and disrespectful but why it happened is understandable.
That was 6 years ago.
He has never had any other issue before or since. He is beloved by every teammate he has ever had. You never hear anything negative from anyone who ever met him.
To call him racist or say he has “racist ways” is gross and based on ignorance and lack of humanity.
Nope. We liberals only forgive you if you come out hard for liberal causes. We forgive blackface on liberals because they are woke now.
1B is a tough position to stash a noodle bat.
I thought he might be a decent candidate for a platoon situation, but he doesn’t really have significant splits.
Gold Glove and AL batting Champion in 2022, hit 347 in 2023 World Series,
career .284 hitter and the Astros de-facto GM, Jeff Bagwell, swept him out like a piece of trash. . Probably jealousy, Bagwell’s post season avg was a miserable .224 while Yuli hit .264 in post-season. . I have lost respect for Astro’s ownership and therefore the team as a whole. For same reasons, Kyle Tucker will leave first chance he gets, my opinion..