Diamondbacks Designate Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for Assignment, Acquire Lars Nootbaar

The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for assignment due to a notable decline in his performance this season. In a related move, the team has called up Jose Fernandez to take his place on the roster.

This season, Gurriel recorded a career-low batting average of .210, hitting only two home runs and driving in 22 runs over 186 at-bats. His struggles were compounded by injuries, as he spent significant time on the injured list, limiting him to just 51 games played.

In contrast, the Diamondbacks acquired Lars Nootbaar from the St. Louis Cardinals to enhance their outfield depth. Since joining Arizona, Nootbaar has contributed three home runs and 13 RBIs in 30 games, showing improvement in his performance. His ability to play multiple outfield positions adds defensive versatility that Gurriel could not provide.