Most Painful Listing on the MLS

In Houston, It’s a rambling, 4,000-SF, single-story home with a swimming pool on a half-acre wooded lot.

Nancy Almodovar of Nan & Company Properties has the listing. The price is $1,690,000.

Built in 1953, with some significant upgrades, it’s like many of the ranch-style houses in the Memorial area.

What’s really different about this house is the seller.

The house is owned by Yuli Gurriel, the former first baseman of the Houston Astros. After the Houston won the World Series over the Philadelphia in 2022, the Astros let Gurriel go away.

Gurriel was key to the Astros World Series victories in 2017 and 2022.

Yuli had a way of elevating his game at playoff time. Last year, Gurriel hit.347 in the playoffs, with 3 home runs and only one strike out in 50 at-bats.

His defense at first base was outstanding. Yuli was the best defensive first baseman in Astros history. In 2021, he won the Gold Glove Award as the best first baseman in the American League.

But Astros management decided they didn’t want Yuli anymore. He finally signed with the Miami Marlins and he plays in Florida now, so he’s selling his Houston house.

To take over at first base, the Astros signed Jose Abreu, giving him a hefty $58 million contract. People hoped that Abreu, who had been with the Chicago White Sox, would be an offensive fireplug. But it hasn’t worked out with Abreu, who’s leading the team in strike outs, with 75.

We’re hoping Gurriel, 39, enjoys his time playing at Miami. He was an important part of the Astros winning ways and a clutch player at World Series time. As an Astro, Yuli had 24 hits in World Series games, more than any other Cuban-born ballplayer in Major League Baseball history.

I doubt if the Astros will make it to the Series in 2023. But if Houston does find a way to make it back this fall, nothing would make me happier than seeing Yuli come to the plate in an Astros uniform again, bringing his World Series mojo. Maybe the Astros can make a trade and get him back to Houston.