The first position player chip of the MLB offseason free agent market has fallen. Yasmani Grandal has agreed to a 4 year/$73 million contract with the Chicago White Sox, the highest free agent contract in White Sox history. The 30 year old catcher had a career year as the primary backstop for the Milwaukee Brewers, batting .380 with 28 home runs, .468 SLG, .848 OPS, 119 OPS+, 121 wRC+ and fWAR of 5.2. He also led the league in BB% with 17.2%. Grandal is also considered one of the better defensive catchers in the league due to his framing ability.
This is a great pick up for a White Sox team that is eager to contend in the AL Central. With Grandal, this gives Chicago two 2019 All-Star catchers; the other being James McCann who also had a career year with the Sox after 5 years with the Tigers. McCann is a free agent after the 2020 season so it seems like he may be moved as early as this winter, depending on what the White Sox have planned. With the year McCann had and him being on a contract year, now may be the best time to look to deal him as there are many teams with needs at catcher, especially on the offensive side of the ball. On that offense, Grandal will be joining Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez and Yoan Moncada, all under team control for the next several years; this will be their core four in the middle of that lineup. The Sox can also look to add a RF and there’s several on the market; Castellanos and Puig are two big ones. Then, there’s also the former White Sock Avisail Garcia, who had a strong 2019 with the Rays after appearing in just 93 games for Chicago in 2018.
For Grandal, my respect and admiration goes to him. A free agent after 2018, he was offered a four year, $60 million deal with the Mets. He could have taken it and netted a pretty healthy payday, but he felt as though he was worth more than that so he turned it down in favor of a one year, $18.25 million contract with Milwaukee. The man gambled on himself big time and it paid off.
Now the White Sox need to look towards acquiring pitchers, both starting and relief. Their rotation will be led by Lucas Giolito, who had an unbelievable turn around year in 2019 thanks in part to a change in his mechanics. They have some promise in young arms Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease and will be getting back fireballer Michael Kopech after missing all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Adding one more starter will bolster that rotation. Some reports indicate the Sox will be pushing hard for Zach Wheeler after the Grandal signing. Almost seems like a perfect fit at this time. One thing there, however, is that each one of these guys are right handed. Maybe they also look to add a lefty in the middle of that rotation. Perhaps they look towards Bumgarner or Keuchel.
It’s evident that the White Sox have some money to play with and President of Baseball Operations Ken Williams has said he is ready to spend. It sounds like there may be some more news coming out of the south side of the Windy City this offseason. Stay tuned!
