For now, longtime MLB catcher Yasmani Grandal is staying in the minor leagues—and he’s doing so voluntarily.
When the 36-year-old Grandal inked a minor-league deal with the Boston Red Sox last month, he did so knowing he could opt out on May 1. Rather than hit the open market on Thursday, Grandal made it clear he’ll stick with Triple-A Worcester instead.
Red Sox insider Chris Cotillo reported that Grandal chose not to use his opt-out clause despite other unnamed teams showing interest in adding the two-time All-Star. Grandal remained unsigned all offseason after posting a .228 average and .704 OPS in 243 plate appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates last year.
“[His] comfort with Red Sox personnel informed his decision to stick it out with the organization for the time being,” Cotillo wrote.
Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The switch-hitting Grandal entered play Thursday hitting .250 with a home run, three doubles, five RBI, and an impressive .879 OPS across 29 plate appearances.
Grandal’s been a major-league mainstay since debuting with the San Diego Padres in 2012. He owns a .236 average, 194 homers, a .769 OPS, and 20.2 bWAR over 13 seasons.
However, Grandal’s availability and effectiveness have declined with age. He’s only played 100 games once since 2021, and he’s been worth 2.4 bWAR during that time.
However, he posted a 3.4 bWAR campaign in 2021, meaning he provided the Pirates and Chicago White Sox with -1.3 bWAR the last three years. There’s a reason why teams didn’t bite on Grandal all offseason, even on a minor-league deal.
