Dodgers: Five Players Crucial for a Successful Postseason

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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 08: Yasmani Grandal #9 of the Los Angeles Dodgers points to the sky as he crosses the plate after his second solo home run in the fourth inning of the game against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on June 8, 2018, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

The offense has never really been a question for Yasmani Grandal, you know what you are going to get. Grandal is on course to have roughly the same offensive season he has had for the last five years: a batting average in the .225 to .245 range, an OPS of 750 to 800 and a home run total in the mid-20s range. This is predictable and Grandal has accomplished it yet again.

So, Grandal’s offensive production is not what will come into the spotlight for the 29-year old this postseason, it is his defense.

Many Dodger fans know it, and if you know you are frustrated by it, but Grandal’s defense is tough to trust. Since 2016, Yasmani Grandal leads the major leagues in passed balls, a stat that is not exactly conducive to saving runs.

Now sure, Yasmani’s elite pitch framing is a small plus but quite honestly, adding one or two strike calls per game is far less important than preventing balls from getting to the backstop. Games have actually been won or lost this year because of good catching and part of the Dodgers postseason success will depend on Grandal’s ability to provide steady defense behind the plate.

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