Chicago White Sox: Yasmani Grandal already making big impact
The Chicago White Sox signed Yasmani Grandal at the beginning of the offseason and he’s proven to make a big difference even before the regular season has started.
Yasmani Grandal has already proven to make a difference for the 2020 Chicago White Sox even before the end of spring training. ‘
After missing time with a left calf strain, the switch-hitter has had no trouble adjusting back to playing since his return.
In the three games he’s played in, Grandal is 3-for-8 (.375) with two doubles, a home run, and two RBI.
While it is clear that he will be a very crucial piece of the team’s lineup in 2020, Grandal has done something even more important this spring.
As detailed by Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago, Grandal has been looking to significantly improve each of the team’s pitchers this season.
“I could tell right off the bat that it was going to be great for us,” Lucas Giolito said about working with Grandal. “Obviously, he’s proving that to be true, even in these early days of spring training. Very in-depth conversations with each pitcher that he’s working with.”
On top of it, the catcher has been working with Zack Collins to improve his skills behind the plate and, so far, there has been noticeable improvement from the young catcher.
The thing about Yasmani Grandal that a lot of fans are going to learn very quickly is that the decision to sign him wasn’t just about getting a good starting catcher in terms of defense and hitting.
Grandal, 31, not only provides phenomenal defense and significantly above-average offensive production for a catcher, but he is also there to help improve a young pitching staff and change the culture for a team that has struggled mightily over the last few years and doesn’t have many players over the age of 30.
His 5.2 fWAR (FanGraphs) in 2019 was fantastic and alone would have justified giving him the four-year, $73 million contract the White Sox did this past offseason.
But, his value is going to lie beyond his own statistics in 2020 as he will provide value to the rest of the team that can’t be measured in that manner.
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Yasmani Grandal has already helped improve the Chicago White Sox and everyone should be excited about what he will bring to the South Side this season.