"No Time to Turn Him Back Into the Gurriel We Remember"… Gurriel Jr. Designated for Assignment, $5 million Buyout
Arizona designated Gurriel Jr. for assignment on September 13. It ends a slump that left him with a 0.544 OPS. In the final year of a $42 million contract, the 2027 option is headed for a buyout.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Summary in Three Lines
- On September 13 (local time), Arizona designated Gurriel Jr. for assignment and called up José Fernández.
- In 51 games of the 2026 season, his 0.544 OPS is a career low, a sharp drop from 0.772 in his 2023 All-Star season.
- His final destination is still undecided, and even if he is released, Arizona will bear a $5 million buyout.
Three years ago this fall, Gurriel Jr. was the heart of Arizona's lineup. He was named a 2023 All-Star and led the team to the World Series with a career-high 24 home runs and a 0.772 OPS. This year, he has 2 home runs in 51 games and a career-low 0.544 OPS. In September of the final year of his contract, the club wiped him from the roster.
Gurriel Jr. DFA Announced on September 13 Ahead of Texas Game
MLB.comreports that Arizona designated Gurriel Jr. for assignment (DFA) on September 13 (local time), ahead of the game against the Texas Rangers. In his place, the club called up infielder José Fernández from Triple-A Reno.
ESPN (AP) reported that manager Torey Lovullo explained the same day, "There was a bit of a lack of consistency at times in his at-bats." He added, "At this point in the season, we didn't have time to get him back to the Gurriel we remember."
From the Varsho Trade to Gurriel Jr.'s $42 million Contract
The starting point is December 23, 2022. Toronto sent Gurriel and catcher Gabriel Moreno to Arizona in exchange for outfielder Daulton Varsho. That is how his time in Toronto, where he was a teammate of Ryu Hyun-jin from 2020 to 2022, came to an end.
MLB Trade Rumors reported that after the 2023 season he re-signed on a 3-year, $42 millioncontract (about 56.4 billion won). A $14 million (about 18.8 billion won) club option was attached for 2027, and if the club declines it, it owes a $5 million buyout. The year-by-year structure, per Spotrac, is below.
| Year | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $10 million | Base salary |
| 2025 | $14 million | Base salary |
| 2026 | $13 million | About $1 million remaining at time of DFA |
| 2027 | $14 million | Club option ($5 million buyout) |
| Total guaranteed | $42 million | Including buyout |
ACL Tear, Two IL Stints, Gurriel Jr.'s 0.544 OPS
The cracks appeared in September 2025. While avoiding a collision in the outfield, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. He returned on April 18, 2026, earlier than expected, but then injured his left hamstring and right adductor in turn. Two stints on the injured list (IL) kept him out for about 2.5 months.
| Category | 2023 season | 2026 season (at time of DFA) |
|---|---|---|
| Batting average | 0.261 | 0.210 |
| Home runs | 24 | 2 |
| RBIs | 82 | 22 |
| OPS | 0.772 | 0.544 |
7 Days After Gurriel Jr.'s DFA, Arizona Bears $6 million
According to the MLB.com glossary, a club must take follow-up steps within 7 days of a DFA, such as placing the player on waivers. A club that claims him on waivers takes on the remaining salary of about $1 million along with the burden of the 2027 option. That is why MLBTR saw release after clearing waivers as the most likely outcome.
Even if he is released, Arizona's spending remains. Adding the $5 million buyout to the remaining salary of about $1 million comes to about $6 million. The decision to decline the option has not yet been officially announced. MLBTR projected that once he fully recovers from his ACL rehab, some clubs may view him as a comeback candidate, as he turns 33 on October 10.
Through the DFA, Gurriel Jr. posted a 0.271 batting average, 131 home runs, and 513 RBIs in 926 games over 9 seasons. His fate will be decided within 7 days of the DFA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does Gurriel Jr.'s DFA mean his release is confirmed?
No. A DFA is a designation for assignment. Arizona can place him on waivers, and if he clears waivers, it can release him. His final destination has not yet been decided.
Q. What are Gurriel Jr.'s salary and buyout?
His 2026 salary is $13 million, with about $1 million remaining at the time of the DFA. The buyout on the 2027 club option of $14 million is $5 million, which Arizona bears even if he is released.
Q. Who filled the roster spot Gurriel Jr. vacated?
When Arizona designated Gurriel Jr. for assignment, it called up infielder José Fernández from Triple-A Reno.
Related Official Sites
- Arizona Diamondbacks Official Website (MLB.com) — Check official club roster moves and schedule
- MLB.com Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Player Page — Check season-by-season and career stats
- Baseball Savant Gurriel Jr. Statcast Stats — Detailed metrics such as exit velocity
- MLB.com Glossary – DFA — Explanation of DFA procedures and rules
Representative image · Archive photo · Not an on-site photo of the current game in the article · Archive photo from his 2020 Toronto days · Photo = Wikimedia Commons (All-Pro Reels), CC BY-SA 2.0 · https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lourdes_Gurriel_Jr._from_the_Nationals_vs._Blue_Jays_at_Nationals_Park,_July_28,_2020_(All-Pro_Reels_Photography)_(50164598808).jpg
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