Diamondbacks 2023 Player Reviews: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

When the Diamondbacks traded for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno in the Daulton Varsho trade in December of 2022, no one expected Gurriel Jr. to have the season he would have in 2023. Gurriel Jr. had a season for the ages of his career. He reached career highs in home runs (24), doubles (35), hits (144), plate appearances, and walks (33). He became an All-Star for the first time in his career at age 29 in his first season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Despite being the "throw-in" in the Moreno trade, Gurriel Jr. cemented himself in 2023 as a fan favorite and a star in his own right.

It was no surprise to see him become a team and fan favorite. His passion and energy in the dugout was a joy for all. His boisterous purple hair was so beloved by the D-backs and their fans that the team began selling/giving out purple hair replicas for fans to wear. Plus, he became an American citizen. He reached the World Series for the first time in his career.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. started his season off well but was lacking in the power department. While he hit .273 with 27 hits in 26 games, Gurriel Jr. had seven doubles but only a single home run. He struck out 17 times to only four walks. This limited his OPS to .699. His wRC+ was only 87 this month.

Once May 1st came, he turned his season entirely around, however. In May, to say he was on fire would be an understatement. In 24 games, he batted .352/.416/.714/1.130 with 32 hits, seven doubles, a triple, eight home runs, 18 RBI, nine walks, and only 15 strikeouts. The contact-oriented patient hitter was launching balls to the deepest parts of the ballpark. His wRC+ was a marvelous 200, a hardly ever-seen number by even the best hitters in all of the MLB. He had eight multi-hit games in this month.

Unfortunately for the Diamondbacks and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., his bat hit a wall in June and July. While there was word that Gurriel Jr. was dealing with a few ailments including a minor groin issue, it seemed that he was uncomfortable at the plate. This proved to be true via his slump. Over these two months and 44 games, Gurriel Jr. hit just .174/.220/.331/.551 with only 30 hits, nine doubles, six home runs, and 26 RBI. He struck out 32 times to only eight walks. His wRC+ over this span was a vastly below-average 45. This kind of inconsistency became a worrisome trend for the team as they struggled to get back on track following the All-Star break.

The slump came to an end once August started. Over 25 games in August, Gurriel batted to the tune of a .286 batting average and .846 OPS. He had 10 extra-base hits and 26 hits to go with 11 RBI and seven walks to 20 strikeouts. While it wasn't quite his May numbers, the Lourdes Gurriel Jr. that everyone expected all season had arrived. His wRC+ in August was 124.

This trend continued into September when he batted for a wRC+ of 122. He hit a very strong .296 with a .826 OPS in 26 games to end the season. He had 11 extra-base hits, 14 RBI, and a 5/19 walk-strikeout ratio.

In the first two rounds of the postseason, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. struggled. He had just a .667 OPS and five hits in his first five games. When the NLCS came around, Gurriel Jr. turned it all around. In the seven-game series, he had a .730 OPS and seven hits with a home run and two RBI. The home run came at a crucial time in Game 6 to kick off the scoring in a must-win game for Arizona in Philadelphia. Over his five games in the World Series, he caught fire with six hits including a home run, and five RBI to go with two sacrifice hits. His OPS was .850 as the team vied for their second-ever World Series. Overall, Gurriel Jr. had a .744 OPS and a .273 batting average in the 17 games, numbers similar to his regular season.

Digging Deeper into the Statistics

One of the reasons the Diamondbacks wanted Gurriel Jr. was for his right-handed bat against left-handed pitching. That's another reason why they re-signed him. He slashed .301/.363/.452 against left-handers in 2023, a massive batting line for a team reliant on his bat against lefties. Overall, his wRC+ was an above-average 106 (100 is league average) and his OPS+ was a strong 108.

Gurriel Jr. did far more damage at home than on the road. While the batting averages were similar, (.261 at home, .262 on the road), the slugging was stark in its difference. 15 of his 24 home runs came at home along with 20 of his 35 doubles and both of his triples. He slugged .515 at home versus .412 on the road. This resulted in a 115-point difference in his OPS. In 2024, it will be interesting to see if this power-difference continues especially at Chase Field which has become a pitcher's park of late.

Another surprise was that Gurriel Jr. was much better in the field than at DH. He only played two different positions all season, left field and designated hitter. In his 93 games at left field, Gurriel Jr. slashed .284/.335/.483/.818 with 23 doubles, 15 home runs, and 48 RBI. When he sat on the bench and only hit, he performed at a much worse rate with a line of .221/.260/.415/.675 with 12 doubles, eight home runs, and 31 RBI. It would behoove the Diamondbacks to strictly play Gurriel Jr. in the field in 2024 and beyond. 

Gurriel Jr. was wanted by the Diamondbacks for his contact ability. He had a career-low 18.7% for his whiffs. He struck out at his second-lowest rate of just 17.4%. Both of those numbers are above-average rates across the entire MLB.

Working with star outfield coach Dave McKay helped Gurriel Jr. reach new levels in 2023. He put up a career-high 14 Defensive Runs Saved in just 778 innings. This was off the heels of a rough defensive season. Plus, he had never been known for his defense. After making huge catch after catch in the season, one could've made an argument he was snubbed from being a nominee for a Gold Glove. Also, he had the best arm of any of the D-backs outfielders. His 77th percentile arm is one of the higher ones among left fielders in the National League.

2024 Status and Outlook:

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. reached free agency at the end of the D-backs playoff run. In his contract was a clause that allowed him to go to free agency. It turned out too that the D-backs were forced to renegotiate another clause that would've prevented them from re-signing him. Instead, on December 17th, the D-backs re-signed Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to a three-year contract worth $42 MM with a club option for a fourth season for $14 MM. There is an opt-out for Gurriel Jr. after the second season. The first year calls for just $10 MM to be paid out which frees up additional money for the D-backs.

As for where he will play in 2024, he will be set to be the team's Opening Day starter at left field. He'll play there nearly every game and will get a few days as a designated hitter. He could get more time at DH if the team fails to sign another bat that can hit at DH. Still, Gurriel Jr. will play mostly at left field. He will be one of the heartbeats and personalities of the D-backs dugout and clubhouse. Find out more about why he returned to the D-backs below.

He's entering his age-30 season yet fits right in with the team's energy and youth along with a determined mindset. It remains to be seen if he will keep his purple hair, but don't be surprised if he keeps it. After all, his positivity, smile, and purple hair will be a joy for all to see when he reports to Spring Training.