Yasmani Grandal currently has more MLB pedigree and accomplishments under his belt than any other catcher in the Red Sox organization.
But make no mistake: The highly experienced backstop joined Boston on a prove-it deal.
The Red Sox signed Grandal to a minor-league contract last week in wake of Connor Wong landing on the injured list due to a fractured finger. Manager Alex Cora spoke about the transaction Sunday before Boston’s win over the Chicago White Sox.
“A veteran,” Cora told reporters about Grandal, per MassLive. “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.”
Limiting — or perhaps not even making — expectations for Grandal is the correct approach by the Red Sox. After going all of spring training without a team, the 36-year-old will have mere weeks to ramp up before May 1, when he can opt out of his Boston deal if hasn’t been called up to the majors yet.
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Don’t be surprised if Grandal ultimately receives a promotion before that benchmark, though. The initial 10-day designation almost certainly will not be enough time for Wong to fully heal, and the Red Sox don’t have much appealing catching depth elsewhere in their system.
