Former Toronto Blue Jays fan favorite season is over after freak outfield accident

Gurriel has been diagnosed with a torn right ACL and will miss the remainder of the 2025 season and likely at least the first two months or so of 2026.

Gurriel was injured when he tried to avoid making contact with center fielder Blaze Alexander, who made a diving play on a ball in the left-center gap.

Gurriel was initially acquired ahead of the 2023 season alongside Gabriel Moreno, as part of the trade which sent Daulton Varsho to the Blue Jays.

Gurriel was an impending free agent at the time but re-signed after one good season in Arizona.

He returned via a three-year, $42MM pact with a club option for 2027 and an opt-out chance for him after 2025.

Triggering the opt-out wasn't especially likely. He is only hitting .248/.295/.418 this year, with that line translating to a 94 wRC+.

However, he does have 19 home runs and it's possible the overall lack of production is due to a .254 batting average on balls in play.

That's well below this year's .291 league average and Gurriel's personal career rate of .305.

His decision would have effectively come down to whether he felt he could beat one year and $18MM.

His current contract pays him $13MM next year, with a $5MM buyout on the $14MM club option for 2027.

Perhaps a hot finish could have made him think about walking away from that money but it's a moot point now.