The Royals are buying first baseman Yuli Gurriel, in accordance with a report from Francys Romero. Gurriel, 40, has been with the Braves on a minor league contract this yr. Based on Jon Heyman of the New York Put up, the Braves are receiving money issues in return for Gurriel’s companies. Regardless of the commerce deadline having handed final month, Gurriel was nonetheless eligible to be traded as a result of he hasn’t performed within the main leagues but this season. The Royals subsequently introduced the transfer.
Gurriel, 40, has performed within the majors every of the final eight seasons after coming over following 15 years in Cuba’s Serie Nacional. A lot of the veteran’s time within the majors was spent in Houston, for whom he performed first base with occasional cameos at second and third. In seven years with the Astros, Gurriel slashed a stable .284/.328/.448 with a wRC+ of 111. That features a wonderful 2021 season with the membership the place he hit .319 en path to the AL batting title and earned his solely profession Gold Glove award. After a down 2022 season, Gurriel departed the Astros (who changed him at first base with an ill-fated contract for Jose Abreu) however discovered a roster spot in Miami as a part-time first baseman and DH.
The veteran’s time in Miami didn’t produce the bounceback season he was certainly hoping for, as Gurriel slashed simply .245/.304/.359 (76 wRC+) with a career-high 13.4% strikeout charge and a career-worst .114 remoted slugging proportion. A second straight troublesome season left Gurriel unable to discover a roster spot forward of his age-40 season, leaving him to catch on with Atlanta again in April. With the membership’s Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett, Gurriel has seemed spectacular with a .292/.378/.495 slash line with 12 homers, 18 doubles, and a triple in simply 333 journeys to the plate this yr. Amid accidents across the Braves infield to Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies and that sturdy efficiency, the Braves even started to experiment with Gurriel at second and third base as they seemingly toyed with the potential of a giant league call-up for the veteran, although large league offers for Whit Merrifield and Gio Urshela closed the doorways to becoming a member of the key league membership in pretty brief order.
Extra to return…
