Grandal heads to White Sox in free agency
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MILWAUKEE -- Brewers officials had been fairly candid about their desire to bring back free agent catcher Yasmani Grandal, but that option went off the board Thursday when Grandal signed a $73 million, four-year contract with the White Sox.
That leaves the Brewers looking elsewhere to find a partner for Manny Piña, a defensive-minded veteran whose $1.85 million club option was exercised on Oct. 31. The Brewers also have catchers Jacob Nottingham and David Freitas on the 40-man roster, but it’s believed they will seek to upgrade at the position via trade or a free agent market that still includes the likes of Travis d’Arnaud, Robinson Chirinos, Jason Castro, Alex Avila and others.
The deal with Chicago pays Grandal $18.25 million each season, precisely what he earned on a one-year pact with Milwaukee in 2019 after failing to find a multi-year contract to his liking on the open market. Grandal proved worth the investment, hitting 28 home runs with a .380 on-base percentage and an .848 OPS while doing fine work behind the plate for a team that had the best September ERA in the Major Leagues.
In his final game in a Brewers uniform, Grandal smacked a two-run home run in the first inning of the National League Wild Card Game, a 4-3 loss to the Washington Nationals.
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He said that night that his season in Milwaukee “exceeded my expectations.”
“These guys were all open ears, and so was I,” Grandal said. “This was a group of guys that, even when you think they’re against a wall, they’re all having fun, laughing, joking around, and it seems to carry onto the field. I don’t think I ever smiled as much as I smiled this year on a baseball field, possibly in my whole career. The fact they were able to get me to do that, it was amazing. That’s why I liked it so much.”
He had more to say on Thursday after signing with the White Sox. Grandal authored a post on Instagram directed toward Brewers fans that read in part, “You guys took my family and I in with open arms and made it a very special year. We are grateful for all the love you showed us.”