San Diego Padres sign a deal with former Houston Astros star Yuri Gurriel

MLB Trade Rumors: San Diego Padres sign a deal with former Houston Astros star Yuri Gurriel

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Yuli Gurriel, an experienced first baseman and designated hitter, has agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.

According to the source, Gurriel will receive $1.25 million if he makes it to the Majors, with a further $1 million in incentives possible.

The 40-year-old has played for the Astros, Marlins, and Royals during his nine seasons in the Major Leagues. He joined the Houston Astros in 2016 at the age of 32 after traveling from Cuba, and he helped the team win the World Series in 2017 and 2022. With a.319 average at age 37, he won the American League hitting title in 2021. 

He has hit.280 with 98 home runs and 468 RBIs in his career.

For the Astros in 2019, Gurriel recorded a career-high 31 home runs and 104 RBIs. He joined the Marlins in 2023 and contributed to their postseason run, but his power numbers drastically dropped, as he only managed four home runs in 108 games.

Before being traded to the Royals for their postseason run, he started the 2024 season in Triple-A with the Braves. He went 4-for-21 in the postseason as the Royals lost to the Yankees in the ALDS, despite hitting.241 in 18 regular-season games with Kansas City.

What will the San Diego Padres gain from Yuli Gurriel?

Gurriel is mostly a first baseman, but he has also played third base, second base, shortstop, and the outfield for short periods of time. He has only played first base in recent seasons, though, and his defense has lagged behind.

Gurriel has played in 20 series and 92 postseason games, giving him a plenty of playoff experience. He has a.746 OPS, three home runs, and twelve RBIs in World Series action.

Gurriel's position with the Padres is still up in the air. He might be used as a designated hitter or to add depth behind first baseman Luis Arraez.

Nick Pivetta, Jason Heyward, Connor Joe, Kyle Hart, Gavin Sheets, Elias Díaz, Ron Marinaccio, and Martín Maldonado have all joined the Padres in recent weeks, strengthening their roster.

The Padres want to improve on their successful regular season, which got them to the NLDS. But their offense failed to score in the last two games, wasting a 2-1 series lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2025, Gurriel will try to provide San Diego's offense more depth if he makes the roster after Spring Training.