Astros reach deal with veteran catcher Who Decided to Began Practice With Squad
The Houston Astros appear to be taking their first steps toward solidifying the catcher position in 2024 as Yasmani Grandal has hit the free agency market.
According to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the White Sox have agreed to a one-year deal with veteran backstop Martín Maldonado.
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Maldonado, 37, is coming off a handful of brutal offensive campaigns with the Houston Astros that have been offset by his effectiveness and relationship with the pitching staff.
Despite posting an OPS+ of 58, 70 and 66 in the past three seasons respectively, Maldonado earned 2.8 defensive WAR in that timespan, developing an extensive rapport with the Astros’ pitching staff.
While Maldonado has been one of the league’s lightest hitting position players in recent years, he has served as the Astros’ primary catcher in each of the past four seasons, a role that could continue on the South Side as the White Sox have no clear heir to Grandal.
With young catchers Korey Lee and Carlos Pérez in the system as well, Maldonado’s presence could serve a valuable off-the-field purpose for the depth at the position within the organization.
On the South Side, the White Sox will hope Maldonado brings some of his advanced expertise of the game to a pitching staff that was among the league’s worst last season.
The top two MLB free agents are off the board. And they’ve both joined the same club.
The Los Angeles Dodgers shelled out more than $1 billion in contracts to secure Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Los Angeles first landed the two-time unanimous AL MVP thanks to a record-smashing 10-year, $700 million contract, which contained a staggering $680 million in deferred money. Then, with some recruiting help from Ohtani, the Dodgers reeled in Yamamoto, giving him the largest contract ever for a pitcher at $325 million over 12 years.
While the Dodgers’ billion-dollar spending spree has been the story of the offseason, they’re not the only team to make waves in free agency thus far.
The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed ace Aaron Nola, the San Francisco Giants brought in Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, the Arizona Diamondbacks added southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez and the St. Louis Cardinals picked up AL Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray.
So, who are the big names still on the market? Here’s a look at the top remaining free agents.
With ace right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto officially off the board on a historic deal with the Dodgers, the Mets and many other teams will have to turn elsewhere to fill out their rotation this offseason.
One of the more intriguing arms remaining on the free agent market is Japanese southpaw Shota Imanaga.
With his Jan. 11 deadline quickly approaching, the 30-year-old is expected to meet with teams in the United States after the New Year, according to the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier.
Imanaga doesn’t quite have the upside Yamamoto posses, but he’s certainly enjoyed his fair share of success over the past few years in the NPB.
Both the Mets and Yankees could make a ton of sense for the left-hander, who struck out 188 batters last season and is seen as more of a middle of the rotation arm.
