The news about the possible return to the diamonds of the Cuban Lourde Gurriel Jr. is taken with joy, optimism and caution – in equal parts – by the management of the Arizona Rattlesnakes, facing the upcoming start of the season in the Major Leagues (MLB, for its acronym in English).
In recent statements to the local media Arizona Sportmanager Torey Lovullo highlighted the willingness of the outfielder from Sancti Spiritus to be in the lineup of the Opening Dayalthough he ruled out that this was going to happen.
The strategist commented that Gurriel Jr., who suffered a severe injury in the final stretch of last season, is currently with the rest of the Cascabeles players at the Salt River Fields training camp, in Scottsdale, and feels very well.
However, regarding his return to the game he assured that “it will not be in the Opening Day“, to which he added that they still do not have an exact date in mind for this to happen, a statement that prioritizes the safety of the athlete over his enthusiasm and willingness to return to the field as soon as possible.
D-backs outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was on the backfields at Salt River Fields on Friday, just five months after he underwent surgery to repair his torn right ACL.https://t.co/74lKZYxyak
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) February 14, 2026
The short path
On September 1, 2025, at Chase Field, Gurriel Jr. was chasing a ball when he collided with teammate Blaze Alexander, and as a result suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that required him to undergo surgery.
At that time, the Cuban was in his best moment of the season, since during the month of August he had hit 11 extra-base hits, including six home runs, and had driven in 32 runs to the plate.
Due to the severity of the injury, management did not rule out that, in addition to the remainder of that campaign, the player could miss a good part of the 2026 calendar, something that put his continuity on the team at stake.
However, doubts began to dissipate when both parties agreed, despite the circumstances, to extend their contractual relationship. The Cuban’s accelerated recovery now comes to support that decision.
Regarding the possibility of resuming the game, Gurriel Jr. recently expressed that “it depends on him,” in reference to manager Lovullo.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is seriously injured and will miss the rest of the MLB season
Caution is imposed
The Cuban outfielder’s desire to return to the lineup as soon as possible does not admit of doubt, especially when he has made efforts to significantly shorten recovery times.
“Training six days a week, preparing myself mentally, nutritionally and physically. Trying to return as soon as possible and be ready,” he said, according to the media.
“With the regular offseason that I have had, working hard and now that I am here with the data, with the check-ups that I am having with the team, they are going to determine if I am 100%,” he added.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. said he has live batting practice scheduled soon and coach Torey Lovullo said he’s “pleasantly surprised” with Gurriel’s progress running the bases. pic.twitter.com/QZCbijNlcU
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) February 13, 2026
On the other hand, the enthusiasm is also appreciated, but also a commitment to respecting the times so as not to expose oneself to setbacks.
“I watched him run the bases and I was pleasantly surprised by his progress. When I said goodbye to him after the injury, he promised me that he would do everything he could to come back as soon as possible. And little by little, he informed me of how well organized he was on the day of his surgery, what he would do on the second day and what he would do on the third,” Lovullo said.
Even so, the strategist prefers not to rush. “We have to be very careful with Lourdes; we don’t want her to come back too soon and have an outbreak or inflammation. I want this to continue, but we have to define this plan and be very careful,” he stressed.
Possibilities in sight
According to the report, Gurriel Jr.’s return to daily play will occur gradually, and many place him at first occupying the designated hitter position.
The idea is for the player to avoid a relapse of his injury as much as possible until the doctors and manager are sure that he has successfully completed the entire recovery process.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. back at the plate. pic.twitter.com/XJZE0VlBgn
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) February 13, 2026
The designated hitter position within the Cascabeles is not fully defined, and could alternate with Dominican second baseman Ketel Marte, or shortstop Pavin Smith, when someone needs a break from their defensive duties.
Added to the absence of Gurriel Jr. is that of Corbin Carroll, also due to injury, so the team would have to cover the outfield with Alek Thomas, Jordan Lawlar, Tim Tawa and Jorge Barrosa, the publication highlights.
