40-year-old Yuli Gurriel is probably approaching his last days in the majors. The San Diego Padres will likely make a decision on his future next week. 

In the A.J. Preller era, some head-scratching additions have been made to the roster.

The San Diego Padres signed Ian Kinsler, Robinson Cano, and Nelson Cruz in this era. There are several other players, but these names stand out. Obviously, in the passion of the game, you get romantic about older players. You remember who they once were; more often than not, players continue to play the game way past their prime.

To Preller’s credit, the team has signed some veteran players who turned out to be very useful.

Donovan Solano and David Peralta were excellent signings last winter as the team sought to strengthen its roster before the 2024 season.

This winter, the Padres added several veteran players at the end of the free-agent season.

Among the signings was Yuli Gurriel.

Upon agreeing to a deal with the Padres, most fans scratched their heads. Gurriel has not been productive since the 2021 season with the Astros. He spent the last two seasons in Kansas City and Miami and produced a -0.6 WAR in 126 games. It’s painfully obvious that the 40-year-old is done. His bat speed and ability are just not present anymore.

The offensive issues alone make you wonder what the Padres are doing, but Gurriel has a checkered past. In Game 3 of the 2017 World Series, Gurriel was filmed making a racist gesture about Yu Darvish, who was pitching at the time. Darvish is well respected in San Diego and one of the leaders of the Padres clubhouse. He took the high road after the Gurriel signing this spring. But what else do you expect from the consummate professional?

Darvish may have forgiven Gurriel, but why put that drama in the clubhouse?

All is good regarding chemistry, as the Padres are playing ridiculously well and are in first place in the N.L. West.

Gurriel, however, is not. His numbers are down, and the right-handed hitter has already put up a -0.3 WAR for the Padres in nine games. That is hard to do, but Gurriel is showing his negative value and doing so at an early rate. That cannot happen for the Padres moving forward, especially when options exist.

Oscar Gonzalez, 26, is playing well. When Jackson Merrill went down with an injury this week, Gonzalez was recalled from El Paso, where he was mashing the ball. If Gonzalez is allowed to play, he may make Gurriel expendable. Gonzalez is a right-handed hitter and could play first base if needed. Connor Joe is also in El Paso and capable of taking Gurriel’s place. The options are there for San Diego.

It will likely take a minor miracle to save Gurriel’s roster spot with the Padres.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.