CHICAGO — The Red Sox’ signing of veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal became official Sunday, and one thing’s clear: the two-time All-Star has to earn his spot on the big league roster.
It’s not a fait accompli that Grandal, who reported to Triple-A Worcester but was not in the lineup Sunday, will be elevated to the majors before his May 1 opt-out. On Sunday, manager Alex Cora noted that Grandal, who remained unsigned all offseason and did not participate in spring training, must show the Red Sox something in the next three weeks.
“A veteran,“ Cora said of Grandal, a fellow University of Miami product. ”Good at-bats, good defender, veteran guy just to see what we’ve got. This doesn’t impact anybody as of now, but he needs to play. He’s a guy who we have had on the radar throughout the offseason. It just happened now with the injury, to have another guy in Triple-A and see where it takes us. But there’s no promises."
The 36-year-old Grandal played 72 games for the Pirates in 2024, hitting .228 with nine homers, 10 doubles and a .704 OPS while showing clear signs of aging behind the plate, where his throwing ability was among the worst in baseball. He entered the winter content with the possibility that he might have played his last game after 13 big league seasons. That possibility seemed even stronger when Opening Day came and went and he remained at home.
As Grandal explained to Rob Bradford of the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast in Worcester on Sunday, he only planned to keep playing if certain opportunities arose with certain teams. As soon as Connor Wong fractured his pinky Monday night, the Red Sox had an increased need for veteran catching and the club offered Grandal a non-roster contract that includes a $1.35 million salary if he makes the majors. Grandal jumped at the chance to potentially work alongside his all-time favorite player, Jason Varitek, who is part of Cora’s coaching staff.
“We had spoke with the Red Sox in the offseason,” Grandal told Bradford. “If there was an organization I would have loved to come back and play for, it would have been this one. Just to hopefully get a chance to hear out Varitek, pretty much. I’ve heard a bunch of things about him, how smart he is and how he thinks about the game. If I get a chance to be around that, that would be great.”
To leave his home in Chicago and join the WooSox, Grandal said, he had to make a deal with his sevens, who are 4 and 7.
“I had to make a deal with the boys,” he said. “I had to get them a PS5 and a dog by the time I got back.”
With Wong sidelined, the Red Sox have Carlos Narváez installed as their starter and Blake Sabol as the backup. Both players have little big league experience behind the plate and bring question marks, especially on the defensive side of things.
“There’s more education than probably a week ago,” Cora said. “Blake needs to learn the pitching staff. Although he caught them in spring training, it’s not the same thing. Game-planning comes into play. How we react in certain situations comes into play.
“We’re in good hands but understanding they’re young and we’re in the big leagues. We have to help them out.”
Grandal, with 1,307 big league games under his belt, brings plenty of experience. He’s a bit of an unknown at this point, because he didn’t have a normal build-up and hasn’t played in a game since late September. Cora pointed out that veterans like J.D. Martinez and José Iglesias had good seasons in 2024 despite not having any spring training time. The Red Sox will soon find out if Grandal will be similarly successful.
“It’s all going to come down to how the body’s feeling,” Grandal explained to Bradford. “That’s just plain and simple. I can’t get home and not be able to play with my kids.
“I’m gonna give this a true shot. I’m gonna push myself to the limit and see how it goes. If it ends up happening that I’m able to somehow contribute with the major league team, obviously, that’s the goal.”
- BETTING: The over/under is set at 8.5 on BetMGM for Monday’s Red Sox versus Rays matchup. If you’re a new sports bettor, our Massachusetts beginner’s guide will help you get started.
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