As the Boston Red Sox's 2025 campaign continues, fans are still wondering if veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal will get a big-league opportunity anytime soon.
The Red Sox signed Grandal to a minor-league contract last month as starting catcher Connor Wong continued rehabbing his fractured finger. Boston manager Alex Cora refused to promise an eventual call-up for the two-time All-Star, however, that didn't stop the fanbase from being optimistic that Grandal could potentially make an impact down the stretch.
Although the Red Sox were willing to be patient with Grandal, time was of the essence. After all, Thursday marked the deadline for the 36-year-old backstop to opt out of his contract if he wanted to seek an opportunity elsewhere.
Veteran C Yasmani Grandal to Stay With Red Sox After May 1 Deadline
When Thursday's deadline finally arrived, Grandal decided to stick with the Red Sox for a little while longer, according to MassLive's Chris Cotillo.
"Grandal is remaining with the Red Sox organization in an effort to get more at-bats over the next couple of weeks," Cotillo reported. "There is interest elsewhere, but Grandal likes the organization and is going to spend more time in Worcester."
Yasmani Grandal is remaining with the Red Sox organization in an effort to get more at-bats over the next couple weeks, per source, and not exercising his May 1 opt-out. There is interest elsewhere but Grandal likes the organization and is going to spend more time in Worcester.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) May 1, 2025
Red Sox fans wouldn't blame Grandal if he did want to leave for a club with a better path to playing time. The former 2010 first-rounder has more than paid his dues with over 1,300 career appearances across 13 MLB seasons, earning the right to continue his career as he sees fit.
The fact that he's willing to forgo a potentially bigger role to remain in Worcester is a testament to the Red Sox organization.
The Cuban catcher has been playing well on both sides of home plate to begin the Triple-A season. Grandal is slashing .250/.379/.500 with one home run, three doubles, five RBIs, and a quintet of walks in his first seven games (24 at-bats) with Worcester. Defensively, he's tallied five assists and even turned a double play while recording a single error.
Time will tell if Grandal will eventually suit up in a Red Sox uniform. Wong's rehab stint is going well, and he should return to Boston's lineup sooner rather than later, while backup catcher Carlos Narváez has done a solid job of filling in for his injured counterpart. Still, having too much depth at a position as important as catcher isn't a bad thing.
Injuries are all a part of the MLB experience, and the Red Sox should rest easy knowing they have a battle-tested All-Star catcher waiting in the wings.