Former Dodgers All-Star catcher turned down Braves this offseason and could retire

Yasmani Grandal was a key part the Dodgers' lineup for four seasons, but he's fallen on hard times in the last three years. That could be because he's been playing for bottom-feeder teams — the White Sox from 2020-2023 and the Pirates in 2024 — but he also just turned 36 and has only played in 382 games over the last four seasons as he's dealt with multiple injuries.

His deal with the Pirates was only for a year, so he hit the free agent market, where he currently remains. At this point, with a recent history of injury and poor play, he'd be easy and cheap enough for a hurting team to sign as a backup catcher, but he's far from being in-demand.

And yet, he's reportedly being picky about the teams (team) that have approached him thus far, with Opening Day just two weeks away.

Francys Romero reported on Monday that Grandal had turned down an offer from the Braves "about a month ago" and might be considering retirement.

Former Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal declined an offer from the Braves

It's unclear if the Braves' offer was for a minor or major league deal, but it feels likely that it was the latter, given the recent revelation that Sean Murphy will miss 4-6 weeks with cracked ribs after he got hit with a fastball in spring training. The Braves do have No. 1 prospect Drake Baldwin, but a veteran presence like Grandal could've provided some extra reassurance.

It's also unclear how much the Braves offered or why Grandal turned them down. If he is considering retirement, then it doesn't hurt to be more picky about his offers, but with the Braves as an NL East powerhouse that should never be underestimated, it's hard to see why he wouldn't have wanted to go there in the twilight of his career, when he shouldn't expect to make much money in the first place.

Grandal was an All-Star with the Dodgers in 2015 and received MVP votes the following year, but his tenure ended on a sour note when his last two seasons in LA were filled with defensive miscues and he barely contributed at the plate in the postseason. His stint with the Dodgers definitely had its highlights, but it'd be hard to find a Dodgers fan who would be devastated about his retirement.