SCOTTSDALE — Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was on the backfields at Salt River Fields on Friday taking batting practice and running down fly balls with his teammates just like he normally would.

Only it had been just five months since he underwent surgery to repair a torn right ACL, the toughest moment of his eight-year MLB career.

Manager Torey Lovullo even said Gurriel told him he’ll be ready by Opening Day.

“No, you won’t,” Lovullo replied.

Gurriel kept repeating it, still focused on getting back way ahead of a typical timeline.

“It depends on him,” Gurriel said with a smirk on Friday.

Gurriel will not be back on Opening Day, but having to wait until the second half is looking less likely as he builds confidence in his knee.

“Working out six days a week, getting prepared mentally, nutrition-wise, physically. Being able to try to come back as soon as possible and be ready,” Gurriel said via Spanish translator. “Just having that regular offseason that I’ve had, working hard and now that I’m here with the data, with my checkups that I’m having with the team, they’re gonna determine if I am at 100%.”

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

The veteran posted Instagram videos in the batting cages in December and said on Friday that he started running a month prior to arriving to spring training.

Gurriel was carted off the field at Chase Field on Sept. 1. He has been a middle-of-the-order bat for the Diamondbacks since the 2023 season, not a star player necessarily but a power threat who lengthens the lineup with a .748 OPS and 61 home runs during his Arizona tenure.

He opted into his player option for 2026, and for a team with as many lineup questions as the Diamondbacks have, bringing back a typically above average bat helps the order feel more complete. Gurriel is a streaky hitter who can get hot enough to carry an offense for stretches.

“I saw him run the bases and just was pleasantly surprised at the progress he’s made,” Lovullo said on Friday. “He promised me when I said goodbye to him after the injury that he was gonna do all that he could to be back as soon as he could. And piece by piece, he was informing me about how well organized he was with the day of his surgery, what he was gonna do on day two, what he was gonna do on day three.

“We gotta be really careful with Lourdes, we don’t want him to come back too soon and have a flare up or inflammation. … I want this to continue, but we gotta figure this game plan out and be very careful.”

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. back at the plate. pic.twitter.com/XJZE0VlBgn

— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) February 13, 2026

Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported on Friday that when Gurriel returns, the club’s plan could be to use him as the designated hitter for most games. He will return to left field, but the idea is to avoid playing him in the outfield six or seven times per week right after coming back from a major injury.

The DH spot is a point of curiosity for Arizona, a potential void Gurriel could fill.

Ketel Marte could start there when getting days off his feet at second base. Adrian Del Castillo is an option. The D-backs could lean into Carlos Santana’s stellar defense and switch-hitting ability, starting Pavin Smith at DH and keeping Santana on the field against righties.

As for the outfield, with Gurriel out and Corbin Carroll’s Opening Day availability uncertain due to a broken hamate bone, there is a spotlight on Alek Thomas, Jordan Lawlar, Tim Tawa and Jorge Barrosa to fill in. That is, unless a non-roster invitee proves to be a viable contender for a roster spot this spring.

If Gurriel is mostly a DH, that leaves the door open for young outfielders to start regularly out there.

Diamondbacks looking for utility help

Gambadoro also reported that the Diamondbacks are in the market for utility infield help after trading Blaze Alexander to Baltimore last week. This would come most likely via trade, using minor league depth to make the addition.