Gurriel has been taking reps in left field as he looks to add to his appeal to teams by increasing his versatility, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Gurriel was cut loose by the Padres earlier this month after going just 4-for-36 at the plate. He will turn 41 next month and hasn't been a league-average hitter in terms of OPS+ since 2021, so Gurriel might have a tough time finding a contract even if he shows he can handle left field in addition to first base.
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Yuli Gurriel: Enters open market
Rotowire
Gurriel cleared waivers Saturday and elected free agency, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
Gurriel was booted off San Diego's 40-man roster Tuesday after starting the year 4-for-36 at the plate. His best bet to find work with another team is likely on a minor-league deal, though retirement may be on the table since he turns 41 years old in June.
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Padres' Yuli Gurriel: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
The Padres designated Gurriel for assignment Tuesday.
Gurriel has started 2025 very poorly, going just 4-for-36 with three RBI and two runs scored over 16 games. He'll now end up as one of the roster casualties needed to make room for the return of both Luis Arraez (concussion) and Jason Heyward (knee) from the injured list.
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Padres' Yuli Gurriel: Makes roster, goes hitless
Rotowire
The Padres selected Gurriel's contract from Triple-A El Paso prior to Thursday's 7-4 win over Atlanta. He started at designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
Gurriel attended spring training as a non-roster invitee but was able to secure his spot in the Opening Day lineup after posting an .814 OPS in Cactus League play. The right-handed-hitting Gurriel drew a start with southpaw Chris Sale on the mound, but Gurriel could cede reps at DH to the lefty-hitting Gavin Sheets when the Padres face right-handed pitching.
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Padres' Yuli Gurriel: Set to make roster
Rotowire
The Padres informed Gurriel on Sunday that he's made the Opening Day roster, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
The veteran slugger still needs to be officially added to the 26-man and 40-man rosters, but he's set to begin the campaign with the big club. Gurriel had a .241/.338/.296 slash line in 18 regular-season games with Kansas City last season, but he carried a hot bat during spring training with an .828 OPS in 14 contests.
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Padres' Yuli Gurriel: Hits first spring homer
Rotowire
Gurriel went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and four total RBI in Monday's Cactus League win against the Brewers.
Gurriel smashed a two-run homer to left-center field in the second inning and added a two-run double in the fifth. The big performance brought the 40-year-old's spring slash line to .286/.310/.500 as he looks to earn a spot on the Padres' Opening Day roster. Gurriel is in camp as a non-roster invitee after signing a minor-league contract in mid-February. He's not a lock to break camp with San Diego, but he could make the team as a backup first baseman and right-handed DH option.
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Padres' Yuli Gurriel: Signs with San Diego as NRI
Rotowire
The Padres signed Gurriel to a minor-league contract Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Gurriel will make $1.25 million if he's in the majors, with an additional $1 million possible in incentives. The 40-year-old got into 18 regular-season games down the stretch with the Royals in 2024, putting up a .635 OPS with zero home runs. If he makes the team, Gurriel could potentially see some action at designated hitter, or at first base if the Padres use Luis Arraez at DH.
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Royals' Yuli Gurriel: Idle Saturday
Rotowire
Gurriel isn't in Kansas City's lineup for Saturday's game against Atlanta.
Gurriel will give way to Garrett Hampson at first base Saturday after going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout during Friday's series opener.
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Royals' Yuli Gurriel: Posts steal in loss
Rotowire
Gurriel went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Friday's 3-0 loss to Atlanta.
Playing against the team that traded him in a minor-league deal at the end of August, the 40-year-old Gurriel was able to log his first steal of the year. The infielder has ably plugged a hole in the lineup for the Royals, batting .260 over 17 games. He's added six RBI, seven runs scored and three doubles while seeing most of his playing time between first base and designated hitter. Gurriel is unlikely to be an everyday option with Salvador Perez often filling in at first base, and Gurriel could find himself on the bench in the postseason if Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) becomes an option should the Royals make a deep run.
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Royals' Yuli Gurriel: Gaining hold of lineup spot
Rotowire
Gurriel will start at first base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Tigers.
Gurriel will pick up his fourth consecutive start and looks to have settled in as Kansas City's primary option at first base. Since being acquired from Atlanta on Aug. 31, Gurriel has slashed .348/.414/.435 with five runs and four RBI through his first nine games with the Royals.
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Royals' Yuli Gurriel: Sitting down Saturday
Rotowire
Gurriel isn't in the Royals' lineup for Saturday's game against the Twins.
Gurriel has gotten off to a solid start through his first four games with the Royals, going 3-for-9 with two RBI and a run scored. He'll get a breather Saturday while Robbie Grossman serves as Kansas City's designated hitter and bats eighth.
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Royals' Yuli Gurriel: Back in action Friday
Rotowire
Gurriel (hamstring) is starting at first base and batting seventh Friday against the Twins.
He left Monday's game with hamstring tightness and made an appearance off the bench Wednesday. Gurriel is batting .333 with one run and one RBI in three games with the Royals.
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Royals' Yuli Gurriel: Exits game with injury
Rotowire
Gurriel was lifted from Monday's game against the Guardians in the eighth inning due to right hamstring tightness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Gurriel doubled in his third plate appearance of the day but pulled up lame into second base. The 40-year-old had been dealing with a hamstring strain while at Triple-A Gwinnett before being traded to the Royals, and he has aggravated the injury in just the second game with his new club. Interim manager Paul Hoover said after the game it's considered a "super mild strain" and implied that Gurriel is day-to-day.
The Royals selected Gurriel's (undisclosed) contract from Triple-A Omaha. He'll bat seventh as the designated hitter Sunday against the Astros.
The 40-year-old was acquired from Atlanta on Saturday and will immediately join Kansas City and enter the lineup, despite having not played since Aug. 22 due to an unspecified injury while he was a member of the roster at Triple-A Gwinnett. The major-league trade deadline passed July 30, but Gurriel was able to be dealt since he was in the minor leagues. He had a .292/.378/.485 slash line with 12 home runs and 11 steals in 75 games at Triple-A with Atlanta, and his 2024 MLB debut will come against one of his former teams.
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Royals' Yuli Gurriel: Dealt to Kansas City
Rotowire
Atlanta traded Gurriel (undisclosed) to the Royals on Saturday in exchange for cash, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
After claiming Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman off waivers earlier in the day, the Royals continue to add depth to their organization by acquiring Gurriel in a minor-league trade. The 40-year-old first baseman has had a nice season at Triple-A Gwinnett, slashing .292/.378/.485 with 12 homers and 48 RBI across 75 games, though he has been on the injured list since Aug. 23 due to an unspecified injury. Once he recovers, the Royals would need to add him to their 40-man roster before he could potentially make his season debut with Kansas City.
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Braves' Yuli Gurriel: Placed on IL at Gwinnett
Rotowire
Gurriel (undisclosed) was placed on Triple-A Gwinnett's 7-day injured list Friday, Gwinnett Broadcaster Dave Lezotte reports.
Gurriel had begun playing third base in the wake of a hand injury to Austin Riley, in case he was needed in the majors at the position during the closing weeks of the regular season. However, his 40-year-old body may not be holding up well to the additional defensive responsibilities, although Atlanta has yet to indicate the nature of Gurriel's injury.
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Braves' Yuli Gurriel: Inks minors deal with Atlanta
Rotowire
Gurriel signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Gurriel spent all of last season with the Marlins, slashing .245/.304/.359 across 329 plate appearances. He will turn 40 years old in June and is unlikely to see regular playing time in the majors with Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna locked in at first base and DH, respectively, though Gurriel could come up from Triple-A should Atlanta run into depth problems later in the year.
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Marlins' Yuli Gurriel: Gets start at first base
Rotowire
Gurriel is starting at first base and batting sixth in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader versus the Mets, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Jorge Soler is getting a start in right field and Josh Bell will be the designated hitter, opening up first base for Gurriel. It's the first start since Sept. 16 for the 39-year-old.
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Marlins' Yuli Gurriel: Cranks three-run homer
Rotowire
Gurriel went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and two runs scored in Saturday's victory over Atlanta.
Gurriel's three-run shot in the bottom of the first gave the Marlins a 4-3 lead after Atlanta jumped out in front early. He later added a single in the eighth before coming around to score on a Jazz Chisholm grand slam, giving the first baseman his first multi-hit game since Aug. 6. Gurriel has now tallied five RBI over his last four games while also scoring four runs and walking three times over that stretch.
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Marlins' Yuli Gurriel: Checks into starting nine
Rotowire
Gurriel will start at first base and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Rays, Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald reports.
Gurriel will serve as the Marlins' first baseman for the second day in a row, essentially replacing Jorge Soler (hip) in the lineup while Josh Bell handles designated-hitter duties. Since the Marlins acquired Bell on Aug. 1, Gurriel has made just 10 starts and is hitting .162 with two extra-base hits (both doubles) over 37 at-bats on the month.
