Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Blake Walston reinstated by D-backs with 28-man roster expansion
Lourdes Gurriel had been on the 10-day IL but out since July 17 with an adductor strain.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. during D-backs vs. Dodgers on July 3, 2024. (Felisa Cardenas/Arizona Sports)
(Felisa Cardenas/Arizona Sports)
The Arizona Diamondbacks expanded their roster to 28 players Tuesday by reinstating outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and lefty pitcher Blake Walston.
Arizona also moved reliever Ryan Thompson from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL, ending his season due to a lower back strain.
MLB rosters expanded to 28 players from 26 on Tuesday, so the Diamondbacks did not need to make corresponding moves.
Gurriel had been on the 10-day IL since July 17 with an adductor strain.
He appeared in eight Triple-A games in August to rehab. Over 28 at-bats, he hit .107 with three singles and nine strikeouts to three walks.
In 47 games with the D-backs this season, he is slashing .207/.254/.287.
Walston, Arizona’s first-round pick in 2019, underwent Tommy John surgery after injuring himself last spring and has not pitched in the majors since 2024.
The 25-year-old played in seven games with two starts in 2024. He had a 4.42 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.
He made six rehab appearances in Triple-A leading up to his MLB return and posted a 4.70 ERA.
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Comments
4 Comments
How does his bat become "electrifying" if he isn't playing? He has been injured most of the season which has affected his timing. He had no spring training & he has been injured most of the season. The only time available to him is regular season reps. And he needs to be on the roster to qualify for the playoff roster.
"He can hit" according to TL.
The biggest issue with the Dbacks is the lack of offense. He is hitting .207....KM, Perdomo and Carroll are not producing like previous seasons. Except for Gaby, we don't have other hitters hitting .270 or higher.
His last 'good' season was 2024 when he batted .279. He batted .247 for the 2025 season.
His current $42M - 3YR contract expires at the end of this season. There is a $14M club option for 2027 with a $5 million buyout. His current salary is $13M.
Unless his bat becomes electrifying for the remaining 23 games, I don't see the need for him to start games...his role should be a PH.
He's struggled with his timing all season. This is the last chance to capitalize on a veteran player. I don't know if he needed to be included now in order to be on the playoff roster.