Lourdes Gurriel Jr., an outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, was taken off the playing field on a cart Monday evening after an evident knee ailment where no contact occurred.
Gurriel was attempting to pursue a lengthy hit from Rowdy Tellez, the Texas Rangers’ first baseman, during the sixth inning of a contest in Phoenix that ended in a 7-5 defeat. Fellow outfielder Blaze Alexander got to the ball before Gurriel and managed to secure an outstanding diving catch to conclude the inning. However, as Alexander dove, Gurriel strongly planted his right knee to avoid the play.
Gurriel’s knee visibly buckled, resulting in him falling to the ground in the outfield. He remained on the ground for a considerable time, his head in his hands, as his teammates and the athletic training staff hurried to his aid. Eventually, Gurriel was transported off the field on a cart.
The precise nature of his injury remains unknown at this time. Further examinations of his knee are scheduled for Tuesday. Manager Torey Luvullo suggested the situation “doesn’t look great,” according to Megan Plain of Fox10.
Prior to Monday night’s game, Gurriel had a batting average of .249 with 19 home runs and 80 RBIs this season, marking his third with the Diamondbacks. He did not return to the game and was 0-for-2 at the plate when he sustained the injury.
When Gurriel was taken off the field, the score was tied at 3-3. However, the Diamondbacks scored two additional runs in the bottom of the inning following an RBI triple by Alexander and an RBI double by Gabriel Moreno.
The Rangers mounted a comeback in the ninth inning, leveling the score after an RBI triple from Jake Burger and an RBI single from Cody Freeman with two outs, leading the game into extra innings.
The Rangers then added two more runs in the 10th inning, attributed to an RBI single from Alejandro Osuna, which secured their two-run victory. The Rangers now hold a season record of 72-67.
The Diamondbacks’ record fell to 68-71, placing them fourth in the NL West standings. They are currently trailing in the wild-card race and appear to be on track to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
