Career Timeline of Yuli Gurriel: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Yuli Gurriel made an impact.

Yulieski "Yuli" Gurriel is a Cuban professional baseball first baseman currently playing for the San Diego Padres. Known as "La Piña," Gurriel has played in the Cuban National Series (CNS), Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and Major League Baseball (MLB) for teams like the Houston Astros, Miami Marlins and Kansas City Royals. He is a former member of the Cuban national team and won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympic Games. Primarily a first baseman, Gurriel is a versatile infielder who has experience at shortstop and second base as well.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2003: Won World Cup of Baseball championship

In 2003, Yuli Gurriel helped the Cuba national team win the World Cup of Baseball championship.

2004: Solid Season in Cuban National Series

During the 2004 Cuban National Series (CNS), Gurriel had a solid season, leading the league in hits and runs scored.

2004: Won gold medal in Summer Olympics

In 2004, Yuli Gurriel helped the Cuba national team win a gold medal in the Summer Olympics.

2004: Olympic Gold Medalist

In 2004, Yuli Gurriel was an Olympic Games gold medalist as a member of Cuba's national team.

2005: Dominant Season in Cuban National Series

During the 2005 Cuban National Series (CNS), Gurriel dominated by leading the series in runs batted in (RBI), runs, and triples. He also hit 27 home runs, just one short of the record.

2005: Won World Cup of Baseball championship and led in home runs

In 2005, Yuli Gurriel helped the Cuba national team win the World Cup of Baseball championship. During the tournament, he led all batters with eight home runs.

2006: Played in World Baseball Classic

In 2006, Yuli Gurriel played second base for the Cuban national team at the World Baseball Classic (WBC), striking out for the final out in the championship game loss to Japan.

2008: Played in Beijing Olympics tournament

In 2008, Yuli Gurriel played in the finals of the Beijing Olympics tournament, making the final out against South Korea.

2009: Played in World Baseball Classic

In 2009, Yuli Gurriel played for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic as their third baseman, batting .333 with two home runs and six RBIs.

2011: Last represented Cuba in an international tournament

In December 2023, it was announced that Yuli Gurriel would be part of FEPCUBE's "Patria y Vida" team. The last time Gurriel represented Cuba in an international tournament was in the 2011 Pan American Games.

May 11, 2014: Signed with Yokohama DeNA BayStars

On May 11, 2014, Yuli Gurriel signed a one-year contract with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).

February 2016: Defection from Cuba

In February 2016, Yuli Gurriel and his brother Lourdes Jr. defected from Cuba after competing in the Caribbean Series in the Dominican Republic. They relocated to Haiti to establish residency.

June 2016: Declared Eligible by MLB

In June 2016, Major League Baseball declared Yuli Gurriel eligible to be signed by a major league team as a free agent. It was also in Haiti in June 2016 that Gurriel met future Houston Astros teammate Yordan Alvarez.

July 16, 2016: Signed with the Houston Astros

On July 16, 2016, Yuli Gurriel signed a five-year, $47.5 million contract with the Houston Astros.

November 12, 2016: Lourdes Jr. signs with Toronto Blue Jays

On November 12, 2016, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.

2016: Major League Debut

In 2016, Yuli Gurriel made his major league debut after defecting from Cuba.

2017: Solid MLB Season

During the 2017 MLB season, Gurriel batted .299/.332/.486 with 18 home runs and 75 RBIs. He also set club rookie records and led major league rookies in batting.

2017: World Series Championship

In 2017, Yuli Gurriel helped lead the Astros to the World Series championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers, making him the fifth player to have won both an Olympic Games gold medal and a World Series title.

September 21, 2018: Brothers Hit Multi-Home Runs

On September 21, 2018, Yuli Gurriel and his brother Lourdes Jr. became the first pair of brothers to achieve multi-home run games in the major leagues on the same day.

July 7, 2019: First Astro with Run and RBI in Consecutive Games

On July 7, 2019, Yuli Gurriel became the first Astro with a run and RBI in seven consecutive games and hit a game-tying grand slam in an 11–10 win versus the Los Angeles Angels.

2019: Career-High Season

In 2019, Yuli Gurriel established career-highs in numerous categories, including games played, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, runs, hits, home runs, and RBI.

2019: American League Pennant

In 2019, Yuli Gurriel helped lead the Houston Astros to an American League (AL) pennant over the New York Yankees.

2019: Home Run in Game 7 of World Series

In Game 7 of the 2019 World Series, Yuli Gurriel hit a solo home run off Max Scherzer, but the Astros lost the game to the Washington Nationals.

September 29, 2020: Contract Extension

On September 29, 2020, the Astros signed Yuli Gurriel to a one-year extension with a club option for 2022.

2020: Surpassing 2020 Totals

Through 31 games in the 2021 season, Yuli Gurriel had already surpassed his RBI and walk totals from the entire 2020 season.

May 7, 2021: Four Hits vs Blue Jays

On May 7, 2021, Yuli Gurriel recorded four hits, including one home run, and four RBIs versus the Blue Jays.

November 3, 2021: Astros Selected Option

On November 3, 2021, it was announced that the Astros had selected Yuli Gurriel's option for 2022.

2021: American League Pennant

In 2021, Yuli Gurriel helped lead the club to American League (AL) pennants over the Boston Red Sox.

2021: AL Batting Title and Gold Glove Award

In 2021, Yuli Gurriel won the AL batting title and a Gold Glove Award. He was the sixth-oldest player to win a batting title and led all AL first basemen with 86 assists.

2022: Ranked fourth-best first baseman in Astros history

In 2022, The Houston Chronicle ranked Yuli Gurriel as the fourth-best first baseman in Astros history, recognizing his integral role in the team's six consecutive American League Championship Series appearances and two World Series titles. He had a .284 batting average, 94 home runs, and 435 RBIs in his first seven seasons in Houston.

2022: 2022 Season Stats

In 2022, Yuli Gurriel batted .242/.288/.360 with 8 home runs, 53 RBIs, and a career-high 8 stolen bases.

2022: Critical role in ALDS and World Series Title

In 2022, Yuli Gurriel played a critical role in the ALDS, batting .400 with one home run and one stolen base, leading to a sweep of the Mariners. Despite a knee injury during Game 5 of the World Series, he batted .347 in the postseason. The Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies, giving Gurriel his second World Series title.

2022: Second World Series Title

In 2022, Yuli Gurriel won a second World Series title with the Houston Astros over the Philadelphia Phillies.

2022: Club Option

The Astros had a club option for Yuli Gurriel in 2022.

March 10, 2023: Signed Minor League Contract with Miami Marlins

On March 10, 2023, Yuli Gurriel signed a one-year minor league contract with the Miami Marlins.

April 25, 2023: Recorded inside-the-park home run

On April 25, 2023, Yuli Gurriel recorded an inside-the-park home run off Jesse Chavez of the Atlanta Braves after the ball got away from Kevin Pillar.