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Arizona Diamondbacks designate former Blue Jay Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for assignment
Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 13, 2026, 22:56 EDT
Former Toronto Blue Jay, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could soon find himself in new colours.
On Sunday, Gurriel was designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks after appearing in 51 games for the club this season.
After missing the Diamondbacks’ first 17 games of the season while recovering from right ACL surgery, Gurriel returned on April 18 for his season debut against the Blue Jays. Through his 51 games this season, Gurriel batted .210 with two home runs and 22 RBIs.
Before this season, Gurriel was a key contributor for the Diamondbacks over the previous three seasons. The 32-year-old turned in campaigns of 24, 18 and 19 home runs, while driving in at least 75 runs in each of those years.
With his Diamondbacks tenure likely over, the outfielder finishes his time in the desert by appearing in 458 games with the club and batted .257 with 63 home runs and 259 RBIs.
Gurriel was acquired by the Diamondbacks alongside catcher Gabriel Moreno on December 23 in exchange for Daulton Varsho. The move has been criticized as Moreno has become one of the better catchers in baseball and Gurriel was named an All-Star in his first season in the National League.
Signed as a free agent by the Blue Jays on November 12, 2016, Gurriel quickly became a fan favourite in Toronto. Gurriel debuted with the Blue Jays on April 20, 2018, and ended up batting .281 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs across 65 games in his rookie season.
Over his five seasons with the Blue Jays, Gurriel played 468 games and batted .285 with 68 home runs and 254 RBIs. Gurriel’s best season with the Blue Jays came during the 2021 season when he batted .276 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs.
Due to his price tag, Gurriel is likely to clear waivers before being released by the Diamondbacks. A team looking to add a right-handed bat could opt to give Gurriel a chance to prove he still has quality play left in the tank as he is set to enter his age-33 season in 2027.
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