The Kansas City Royals recently picked up veteran first baseman and slugger Yuli Gurriel after Vinnie Pasquantino went down with an injury. He was added as insurance to help carry the Royals to the end of the regular season.
The Cuban slugger has had a strong career, even winning two World Series titles with the Houston Astros. But at the age of 40, his days in Major League Baseball may be numbered.
Will Leitch of MLB.com listed the 40-year-old as a candidate to retire at the end of the 2024 season.
"Gurriel didn't come over from Cuba until he was 32, which is probably why you didn't realize he's already 40," Leitch wrote. "He was just added to an MLB roster for the first time this year by the Royals, who have been hammered by injuries."
Gurriel has appeared in just two games with the Royals this season. His best season to date was 2021, when he won a Gold Glove and hit for a .319 average. He provides power from the right side of the plate and solid veteran leadership.
If he remains healthy, he could help take the Royals on a deep postseason run and even add a third World Series ring to his collection. But again, he is in his age 40 season, so this could very well be his last hurrah.
He obviously has great postseason experience thanks to his days with the Astros and could very well help the Royals in that regard.
His best days are likely behind him, but he remains a solid player, even if he is near the end of his career. It will be interesting to see if he decides to retire after 2024 or play at least one more season.
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