Astros’ Gurriel eyes another kind of stay-home order.
Gurriel prefers returning to only team he’s known when contract expires at end of coming season
If Yuli Gurriel has his way, Houston will be home for a while longer. The Astros first baseman is a free agent after the 2020 season when a five-year, $47.5 million contract expires but said Wednesday he prefers to stay put. “Houston’s the only team that I know,” the 36-year-old Cuban said through a translator. “It’s the only thing that I know in the big leagues. It’s the only team that I’ve played for. I really hope that I’ll be able to stay here in Houston. It doesn’t just depend on me. It depends on a lot of different things, but I really hope I can stay here after the season.”
The Astros are not deep at first base in the farm system, especially with last July’s trade of Seth Beer to the Diamondbacks as part of a deal to bring pitcher Zack Greinke to Houston. Gurriel has been a stalwart at first base for Houston, hitting .293 with an average of 23 homers and 99 RBIs per 162 games since his arrival in 2016. He joins outfielders George Springer and Michael Brantley among Astros regulars in the last year of their contracts.
In his first meeting with media since Major League Base
ball ended its shutdown and the Astros began summer camp at Minute Maid Park, Gurriel said fans might have to get used to the sight of his sometimes wearing a mask while fielding during 2020’s coronavirus-altered season.
“It might be every time that I have a runner on first base,” Gurriel said. “I’m thinking that I might use the mask in those situations.”
Gurriel is not alone. Astros utilityman Aledmys Diaz said Sunday he plans to wear a mask during games this year, telling the Chronicle: “I think we have to be smart about this. I feel like if I feel comfortable wearing a mask playing on the field, I’m going to use it.”
Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos and Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier are among other major leaguers planning to wear masks.
Despite the present circumstances, Gurriel is pleased to be in a baseball setting. Speaking on the balance between staying in shape and having too much free time at home during the shutdown, he admitted he’s still rounding into shape, like many of his teammates, in an expedited training camp.
Among the Astros’ issues eight days before they open the season at home against the Mariners is the scarcity of live pitching outings for prospective members of the rotation and bullpen, whether because of injury or the concise camp schedule.
The club also has been dealing with missed workouts — two for the team plus additional instances for third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielder George Springer — over delays in COVID-19 testing results.
It’s a different training camp, admits Gurriel, who in 144 games last year posted career bests in homers (31), runs (85), hits (168), RBIs (104), walks (37), on-base percentage (.343) and slugging percentage (.541).
“It’s been tough, the first couple of days especially,” Gurriel said. “It’s tough to get my timing right seeing live pitching for the first time in a while. But I think little by little it’s going to come together for me as we get ready for the season.”
Working around the testing protocols is a universal obstacle for the league. Numerous MLB teams have canceled workouts over delays in testing results. Gurriel understands the league is continuously working on the issues but said it’s been difficult to adjust.
“It’s been really tough,” Gurriel said. “Sometimes we don’t know until midnight, one o’clock in the morning whether or not we’re going to have practice the next day. You have to always be ready, and you have to know you’re not always going to know until the last minute.”