In 2005, Gutiérrez posted a .261 batting average, 11 home runs, and 42 RBI in 95 games for Akron, and hit .254 with 7 RBI in 19 games with the Triple-ABuffalo Bisons. Between his two minor league stops, he stole 16 bases in 22 attempts.[4] Gutiérrez was called up by the Indians when major league rosters expanded on August 31.[5] He made his major league debut that day against the Detroit Tigers, appearing as a pinch runner in the ninth inning of a 4–3 loss.[6] Gutiérrez played in seven games with Cleveland to close out the season, mainly serving as a late-game defensive replacement or pinch runner.[1]
Gutiérrez began the 2006 season with Triple-A Buffalo. On June 16, he was recalled by Cleveland after Casey Blake was placed on the disabled list.[7] He played in 43 games with the Indians, batting .272 with a home run and 8 RBI.[1] In addition, he batted .278 with nine home runs and 38 RBI in 90 games with Buffalo.[4]
In 2007, Gutiérrez once again began the season in Triple-A Buffalo. He hit .341 with four home runs and 16 RBI in 30 games. He was called up for good on May 6,[4][8] and batted .266 with 13 home runs and 36 RBI in 100 games with Cleveland.[1] In the 2007 postseason, Gutiérrez played in 10 of the team's 11 playoff games, batting .207 with a home run and 4 RBI.[9] In Game 2 of the 2007 American League Championship Series, he recorded his first career postseason home run and drove in four runs in Cleveland's 13–6 win over the Boston Red Sox.[10] The Indians ultimately lost the series to Boston in seven games.[11]
On December 10, 2008, Gutiérrez was traded to the Seattle Mariners as part of a three-team trade that also included the New York Mets.[16] Mariners' general manager Jack Zduriencik noted that the trade would not have gone through had Gutiérrez not been included in the trade.[17]
Gutiérrez with the Mariners in 2009
In 2009, Gutiérrez had the most errors by a major league center fielder (7), due in part to the significant number of batted balls that he gets to.[18] He led all of Major League Baseball in UZR and UZR/150, was tied for second in the AL in sacrifice bunts (13), and ranked sixth in the AL in wins above replacement (6.6).[19] Gutiérrez won another Fielding Bible Award as the top fielding center fielder in MLB.[20] He posted a slash line of .283/.339/.425 with 18 home runs 70 RBI in 153 games.[1] Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus called Gutiérrez "Death to Flying Things" after a diving catch,[21] a nickname that previously belonged to Bob Ferguson.
On January 5, 2010, it was reported that Gutiérrez and the Mariners were working on a four-year contract extension for $20.5 million with a team option for a fifth year.[22] The deal was officially finalized on January 8.[23]
In 2010, Gutiérrez was awarded his first Gold Glove, finishing the season with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage as an outfielder.[24] He also came in second place for Defensive Player of the Year on MLB.com's This Year In Baseball Awards.[25] Offensively, he slashed .245/.303/.363 with 12 home runs, 64 RBI and a career-high 25 stolen bases in 152 games.[1]
After dealing with stomach problems during Spring Training, Gutiérrez opened the 2011 season on the disabled list.[26] He subsequently received a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome and was sent on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. On May 18, he was activated and inserted into the starting lineup for Seattle's game that night against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.[27] He played in 92 games in 2011, and batted .224/.261/.273 with one home run and 19 RBI.[1]
In 2012, Gutiérrez was limited to only 40 games due to injury, and he batted .260/.309/.420 with four home runs and 17 RBI.[1]
Gutiérrez hits a home run on April 3, 2013.
On April 22, 2013, Gutiérrez was placed on the disabled list due to a strained right hamstring. He suffered the injury while attempting to make a diving catch in a game against the Houston Astros.[28] Although he was activated prior to a game against the Oakland Athletics on June 23, Gutiérrez injured his hamstring again after six innings.[29] He batted .248 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI in just 41 games with Seattle in 2013.[1]
On February 13, 2014, Gutiérrez informed the Mariners that he would not be able to play during the 2014 season due to ankylosing spondylitis and irritable bowel syndrome.[30]
On January 26, 2015, the Mariners re-signed Gutiérrez to a minor league deal with a spring training invite.[31] On June 24, he was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to re-join the Major League club.[32] On July 21, he hit a pinch-hit grand slam against the Detroit Tigers.[33] Gutiérrez experienced a career resurgence in 2015, slashing .292/.354/.620 with 15 home runs and 35 RBI in just 59 games.[1]
On November 11, 2015, Gutiérrez re-signed with the Mariners on a one-year contract.[34] He hit .246 with 14 home runs and 39 RBI in 98 games.[1]
Los Angeles Dodgers
On February 20, 2017, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Gutiérrez to a one-year, $2.6 million, contract.[35][36] He played in 35 games for the Dodgers, primarily as a pinch hitter, and had 13 hits in 56 at-bats (.232 average) with one homer and 8 RBI.[1][37] His season was shut down for good in June because of a recurrence of ankylosing spondylitis, which had caused him to also miss the 2014 season.[38][39] He elected free agency on November 2.
Coaching career
On January 27, 2021, it was announced that Gutiérrez had joined the Seattle Mariners organization as a special assignment coach.[40]
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