Veteran first baseman Yuli Gurriel is attracting interest from MLB clubs as the 2024 season approaches, according to reports from Francys Romero. Gurriel himself acknowledged, “Soon, a decision must be made.”
Following seven seasons with the Astros, Gurriel spent the 2023 season with the Miami Marlins after signing a minor league contract in the late 2022-23 offseason. Despite a strong start, hitting .291/.350/.440 in his initial 157 plate appearances, Gurriel’s bat cooled off in mid-June, ending the season with a slash line of .204/.262/.287 and just one home run in his final 172 plate appearances.
This decline marked Gurriel’s second consecutive lackluster season, with a .242/.288/.360 output in his final season with the Astros. While he had an impressive .319/.383/.462 slash line with 15 home runs in 2022, concerns over his age, recent performance, and back-to-back shaky seasons might limit him to another minor league deal if he decides to continue playing in what would be his ninth MLB season.
The specific MLB clubs expressing interest in the Cuban-born veteran remain undisclosed. However, potential landing spots include the Twins, who had interest in Gurriel last winter, the D-backs, linked to several right-handed-hitting DH options, and the Mariners, who have financial restrictions but are exploring righty-swinging DH options. The Guardians, with a preference for low-strikeout hitters like Gurriel, could also consider him as a right-handed addition to their first base/DH mix.
On a minor league deal, Gurriel could find several suitable opportunities, maintaining a career batting line of .281/.326/.440 over 3634 plate appearances. He is on the cusp of reaching milestones, needing just two more home runs to reach 100 and 61 hits away from 1000. Gurriel made his MLB debut at age 32 after a prolific career in Cuba’s National Series, boasting a career .320/.425/.599 batting line in nearly 5300 plate appearances in his home country’s top league.