Dodgers Rumors: Is a Freeway Battle Brewing for Yasmani Grandal?

The Dodgers are still looking to strike with the hot stove heating up.  With a need at catcher, and teams falling off the board, a freeway battle for Yasmani Grandal appears to be brewing.

The Dodgers have been very quiet ever since news came out about the team signing Joe Kelly to a three-year deal.  What the Dodgers do next could be a myriad of things but they still have one gaping weakness on their MLB roster and that is at catcher.  Austin Barnes is fine as a worst case scenario but the Dodgers need to bring in another catcher with Will Smith and Keibert Ruiz not yet ready.

According to Jim Bowden of the Athletic (subscription required) the Angels, Dodgers, and A’s are three teams who have expressed interest in Grandal this off-season that are still looking to add a catcher.  The Mets signed Grandal’s free agent competitor Wilson Ramos, the Astros signed Robinson Chirinos, and the Nationals are all set at catcher after trading for Yan Gomes and signing Kurt Suzuki.

The A’s are unlikely to spend big on a free agent and could look to bring back Jonathan Lucroy according to Bowden.  That means the Dodgers and Angels could be drawn into a freeway battle for Grandal.  The Dodgers were not interested in bringing Yasmani back at his initial asking price of four years but after Ramos signed for two years, it is starting to look unlikely that Grandal gets more than a couple years.

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The Angels appear to be in the same boat as the Dodgers in that they are looking to add talent but only on short-term deals.  They have Mike Trout’s free agency coming up in two years so they want to leave as much money free to extend Trout while still adding players to attempt to compete.  The Dodgers have a plethora of catching prospects and their best two will be better after next season.

For the Dodgers, a two year deal with Grandal would make sense for both sides.  Grandal could get the same amount of years that Ramos got, and the Dodgers could always look to trade Grandal next year if Ruiz and/or Smith appear ready to take the helm.  It would cover them for the 2019 season, and avoid getting into a dire situation if Barnes struggles.  While Realmuto is still an option, the Marlins keep asking for the moon.

The Angels are more likely to offer Grandal three to four years, but the Dodgers should be able to beat the annual rate that the Angels offer.  If the Angels only offer Grandal a one or two year deal then the Dodgers should bring him back.  Postseason struggles aside, the talent level at catcher is at an all-time worst in MLB, and Grandal is easily in the top six to seven catchers in baseball.