3 Chicago White Sox free agents the franchise should let go, 1 to re-sign
By Kevin Henry
Chicago White Sox: Yasmani Grandal is a free agent to let go
In the final year of a four-year, $73 million deal, the 34-year-old catcher is slashing just .237/.312/.353 in 349 plate appearances this season. While those numbers are not impressive, they are better than the .226/.346/.381 slash line he has posted since inking his deal on the South Side.
While having a catcher that is a true offensive presence is rare in today’s game, Grandal has been very average in Chicago, posting a 102 OPS+ during his time with the team. That’s lower than in his previous stops in Los Angeles, Milwaukee and San Diego.
Coming off an All-Star appearance with the Brewers in 2019, it appeared that Grandal would be a good fit for the White Sox. Even in the team’s postseason appearances in the pandemic-shortened season of 2020 and the division championship season of 2021, Grandal went just 4-for-24 at the plate. However, three of those hits were home runs if you’re looking for the silver lining.
Knowing the rotation will likely be rebuilt around Dylan Cease in 2023, it’s a good time to find a new catcher to help those pitchers along. Grandal should not be a part of the team’s plans next season.