JULY 7: Grandal underwent knee surgery to fix his torn tendon, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports (Twitter link). In an official statement from the White Sox, the team stated that surgery was required for Grandal after further examination by doctors. Grandal is still expected to play again in 2021, though the club’s statement mentioned that an “updated timeline” would come soon, so there could be some adjustment to the initial four-to-six week projection.
JULY 6: The White Sox announced they’ve placed catcher Yasmani Grandal on the 10-day injured list with a tendon tear in his left knee. He’s expected to miss four-to-six weeks. Fellow catcher Seby Zavala has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte in a corresponding move.
Grandal has been nagged by left calf tightness in recent days, keeping him out of action over the weekend. He returned to the lineup last night but left early after hurting his knee on a check swing. Obviously, the new injury will lead to a significantly longer absence.
It’s another blow for the White Sox, who have also lost their presumptive starting left fielder (Eloy Jiménez), center fielder (Luis Robert) and second baseman (Nick Madrigal) for significant chunks of the season. Jiménez and Robert have been out for months after suffering injuries early in the year, while Madrigal was lost for the rest of the season after going down last month.
It’ll be tough for the Sox to replace Grandal’s production in the coming weeks. While the 32-year-old is only hitting .188, his power and incredible patience have made him a highly productive player. The switch-hitting backstop is reaching base at a fantastic .388 clip thanks to a league-best 24.4% walk rate. He’s popped 14 home runs (tied for third-most among catchers) en route to a decent .436 slugging percentage. Grandal has also earned a reputation as one of the game’s elite pitch framers in recent years, although Statcast suggests he’s only been average in that regard this season.
It now seems the Chicago catching situation will fall to the younger tandem of Zack Collins and Zavala. The recently-optioned Yermín Mercedes could also play his way into the mix, but the Sox were fairly reluctant to give him much time behind the dish when he was tearing the cover off the ball earlier in the year and have turned to Zavala before Mercedes in the immediate aftermath of Grandal’s injury. It’s possible they look to acquire a more experienced backstop from outside the organization before the trade deadline, but Chicago’s six-game lead over Cleveland in the AL Central could give them enough confidence to roll with their in-house options until Grandal returns.
Maybe the Cubs will end the season with a better record than the White Sox after all…
Think they’d have to actually win a game for that to happen
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
How does a guy get hurt standing in the batter’s box?
@fannclub6
By swinging at the pitch. Great job posting before watching the footage.
*Technically by trying to hold up swinging at the pitch.
I think the Sox could lose their entire starting lineup and field their AAA team and still have a better record than the Cubs.
Considering the White Sox AAA team is one of the worst at that level, I’m gonna go ahead and say no.
@JohnJasoJingleHeimerSchmidt
That’s because an inordinate amount of the team’s AAA players have spent so much time on the actual MLB roster. Duh……
@sliderdownandin they HAVE lost their entire starting lineup to the IL this year, except Abreu. Gavin Sheets is the 11th OF to play this year for them (10th if you don’t count Eloy actually breaking camp)
I have never seen the multitude of significant injuries to important players causing massive loss in games like the Sox have had, and them increase their lead.
Good thing the Sox play in the weakest division in baseball.. They will easily win it.
Check their lineup tonight. Slumping Anderson and Abreu and 7 AAA guys.
Guys like Sheets and Burger were high draft picks that were blocked. Vaughn is probably going to be their best hitter for the next half decade. They have more depth than people realize. But…at some point the injuries become to much. They need to go out and get a big bat to try and make up production. Maybe two. Story and Bryant would be nice.
Lol. Or maybe this isn’t white Sox year ? They keep a quality rotation in tact and they should be team to beat for a decade in AL. Patients is a virtue
@bot bot, that ‘quality rotation’ that you mentioned, is starting to show a lot of crumbling and cracks. Ever since MLB has been checking the pitchers, ol Dallas Keuchel, Cease and Giolito haven’t been nearly as effective.
Take a look at all their ERA’s and WHIP from last month, to now.
‘Too’ much! Is is too much to expect you to know how to spell correctly!
Yes. Those cracks have extended their lead to 6 games …….Truth
A decade?
@Dogbone
Is that issue only affecting the White Sox staff? Increased offense is taking place all across MLB and it’s not just because of the warmer weather. The White Sox still have the most talented starting rotation in the AL and began the season with the presumed best bullpen. The rotation figures to hold its own comparatively speaking assuming good health while the bullpen has plenty of room to improve even without a likely addition or two by July 30th.
Btw: How are your Cubbies pitchers faring since the MLB crackdown? Why are you so preoccupied with the White Sox problems when the Northsiders are about to dismantle what’s left of their 2016 championship team in the coming weeks?
But still in first place
They are so lucky they got LaRussa. He is mixing and matching spare parts to absolute perfection. It is remarkable that they are somewhat comfortably in first with the lineups they are running out there. Facts are the facts so have to give LaRussa props.
Anderson hitting over 300 is slumping?
Robinson Chirinos would really be a nice fit on our Chisox. But rumors are they are trying to contact Miggy Montero with an eye on Tony Wolters. Sox offering the slumping Keuchel and his $18/yr contract.
The NL East is weaker.
If these guys make the playoffs everyone should tip their cap. Unreal this team’s injuries.
Post the Kimbrel is picking between the A’s and Astros rumor that’s all over twitter already!
well, that got my attention!
signed,
AstrosfaninWestTexas
Bring Back the YERMINATOR!!!!
They need a catcher not a DH
He has a catchers mitt and TLR will know when the opposing team is a good match for his skills or lack of behind the dish. He’ll be up in two weeks to team with Collins. Grandal started the season with a tweaked knee. Probably an aggravation of the same injury. They are waiting for September to know if they will again have all of their players minus Madrigal. I see a rental infielder and not much more being acquired at the deadline.
I, too, have catcher’s mitt. Hope the white sox give me a call.
I gave them your number
I know this is a difficult concept for the fans of a team using Andrew Vaughn in left field… but positional competency is a thing. Yermin absolutely shouldn’t play catcher at the Major League level.
Vaughn has done pretty well in LF especially given that he never played the position before. Also, they weren’t expecting to lose their entire outfield (and backs ups), so I’d say Vaughn has filled in admirably.
He’s below-average in the outfield, which is not ideal for a team vying for a WS title.
Also, Hahn was criticized all winter by many, many people for not building depth, and that lack of depth was a crucial point for many. White Sox fans couldn’t get past gushing over their imagined WS Trophy to actually comprehend this issue, and it’s hurting them dearly now.
They didn’t have to have these issues, but alas, they do.
They’re 6 games in first place. What is hurting them dearly “now?”
Neither should Seby Zavala. And Zack Collins is barely passable.
Mercedes shouldn’t catch, but they have no other options, and frankly, he’s better in many aspects than Collins (framing, throwing out runners).
I know that’s not saying much, but they really don’t have options at this point, and Mercedes isn’t any worse than most options available.
@JohnJasoJingleHeimerSchmidt
Depth? It’s acquired and internal depth that has kept the White Sox comfortably atop the AL Central and among the top-3 teams in the American League all season despite their continuing injury issues. Even the glamor franchises don’t have 13 All-Star position players on their active roster although God knows the Yankees had tried that in the past and before the CBT rule changes took effect.
@JohnJaso
Uh…depth? Really? They broke camp with 3 catchers. They had 7 potential SP (Kopech and Crochett), 5 IF and 5 OF, WITHOUT Vaughn, who has been up all year due to Eloy’s injury. The Bullpen was supposed to be literally stacked with high leverage, overpowering pitchers.
Depth isn’t this team’s issue. Regression from the BP and injuries have been the issues. And they are still 8 games ahead of Cleveland.
They hurting to an 8 game lead That is hurting them dearly. And that’s with replacement players. Cubs get 1 guy hurt and season is over
This is what White Sox All-Star ace Lance Lynn had to say regarding the organization’s depth following today’s victory in Minnesota:
“I haven’t been here to see what they do in the Minor Leagues, but the guys come ready to play,” said Lance Lynn, the starting and winning pitcher for the White Sox. “If you look at the prospects, they’re high-end prospects. Wouldn’t be where they were if they weren’t talented. They’re getting them ready to play when they get here.”
I’m a Brewers fan, but feel bad for y’all. Says something that your still the AL central favorites even with 4 good to great position players on the IL.
Good ? Just Bc he makes 20 mil a season doesn’t make him good. He fell off a cliff and hasn’t hit the ground yet. Thank God he shunned the reds.
He’s producing a 1.9 WAR on pace for his typical 3-4 WAR/season. There is more to stats than just average smh.
Send him on a long rehab so he can remember how to hit. Walking 24% of the time is nice, but to suck the other 75% of the time should not pass the muster. Think of how much better he could help the team by hitting .250!
Dumb comment
His BaBIP is at a career low. Sometimes guys are just unlucky. He has also hit 14 HR with 38 RBIs. Thats not “nothing”.
“Think of how much better he could help the team by hitting .250!”
So everything else is the same but he’s hitting .250 instead of .188? Or you want him to swing more? I’d rather have the OBP because he works counts and helps get to the pen faster.
@stymeedone
His BA would fit perfectly into the Tiggers lineup, though his OPS would make him overqualified in said Tiggers lineup.
Not asking him to swing more. Asking him to make quality contact when he does swing. Adam Dunn walked a lot and hit a few dingers. Hit for that same ave. He sucked too. Difference was WS fans acknowledged it.
@83Sox
If your satisfied with that for the salary he’s getting paid, than you are a good fan, because nothing will convince you otherwise. Me, the Mendoza line doesn’t satisfy me.
Sometimes, when you don’t make quality contact, your BABIP will reflect that. He’s trying so hard to spoil strikes, his ability to hit one has suffered.
His exit velocity and hard hit % are both higher this year than his career average. Please, keep coming with baseless claims and no facts
His Exit Velocity and Hard Hit % are both higher this year than career average. Please keep coming up with baseless claims and no facts
Of the 47,316 stats available, I found two that support my claim!
I’ve watched Grandal hit quite a few hard hit balls directly into a shifted second baseman standing seemingly within a few feet of the RF. ‘Then learn to hit to the opposite field’. To that I say: you try to hit a 95-98mph inside FB the other way. I’ve never tried, but I bet it’s next to impossible. Pitchers that get to that level can locate well enough to execute a game plan complimenting the shift. Get rid of the extreme shift!!!
“My guy isn’t hitting like I want him to so change the rules!”
The extreme shift is making the game so damn boring. You can have your opinions as I mine. I just want more action
@stymeedone
Sure I prefer hits over walks, but the guy is getting on base one way or another. I do like his power and his play behind the plate.
I don’t have to worry about paying his salary. That’s a concern you should bring up with Reinsdorf. But that’s fine, you have Miggy’s wonderful contract to focus on the rest of this year…and next year…and the year after that. Enjoy.
What? I just used the two stats used to determine how hard a guy is hitting a ball? So of the 2 stats available to determine how hard the baseball is being hit I used 2
With Cal Raleigh lighting up AAA and due for a callup soon, Jerry Dipoto should get on the phone and work out a deal with the White Sox for Tom Murphy. Makes a lot of sense for both sides.
That is the most logical suggestion on this thread.
Call the Braves and get Jonathan Lucroy back from AAA Gwinnett! Lucroy has been playing all season with the Nationals (MLB) and the Braves (AAA). He looked good in S/T for the White Sox and is familiar with the pitching staff. Sensible platoon partner with Zack Collins for the time being.
God no. Why is everyone always trying to fill this team with geriatrics lol.
Maybe,,,,,,,because Tony prefers company?
Sorry if I offended you or the other olds.
AL manager of the year?
I hate to admit that, but yea, TLR is a runaway candidate for it in the 1st half of the season
I don’t think that the Braves will trade him. He is their remaining depth now that Tyler Flowers has retired. Jeff Mathis is theoretically at Gwinnett but he hadn’t played through Father’s Day, so I don’t know if he is even there or just hanging out at home.
You know this guy is overrated and over paid . He got that contract on junk stats and when he was in Milwaukee Pina was better defensively and the pitching staff did a lot better when Pina caught them
And Chisox wish they just passed on Grandal and kept McCann – who is a much better catcher and $10M/yr cheaper.
@Dogbone
Maybe you should’ve looked at McCann’s numbers this season before you made that hilarious post.
Blah blah blah Reinsdorf, blah blah blah Benetti and Stone, trollbone in a nutshell
You aren’t paying attention to lineup construction. They went with Grandal because they desperately needed left handed power and someone that would actually walk more than once a week with such a young free-swinging team.
Dogbone, Grandal’s career has been better than McCann’s career. Statistics don’t lie! McCann revitalize his dying career with the White Sox and it earned him a contract. McCann had a great first half in 2018 which earned him an All Star nod and his bat died down afterwards. Needless to say, facts don’t mean a thing to you.
The Sox brought in Grandal due to his relationship with Collins. Both Grandal and Collins were products of the University of Miami. Collins trained with Grandal during off-season. Again, facts don’t mean a thing to you.
Finally, Grandal’s Cuban ethnicity meshed well fellow Cuban players on the White Sox with Moncada, Abreu and Robert. Other Cubans have been signing with the White Sox due to the Cuban influence in the White Sox organization. Again, facts don’t mean a thing to you.
Uh…the Mets are doing everything they can to find a loophole out of that contract. McCann has been brutal
McCann .7 war Grandal 1.9 war. 3x better and you want McCann. You have to be a cub fan
I know the White Sox didn’t keep Jonathan Lucroy out of Spring Training in favor of Collins/Mercedes as the backup catchers, but I thought Lucroy played decently and seemingly had a good rapport with the pitching staff this spring.
He hasn’t caught on with any team at the major league level this year, so he must not be playing that well — I just checked his minor league stats and he’s only batting .220 but he’s walking at a solid 14.9% and only striking out 17.5% of the time, giving him a decent .351 OBP and a reasonable-for-a-catcher 90 wRC+. But that means he shouldn’t cost anything (so it won’t affect the team’s ability to make other upgrades) and would add a veteran presence to the team. I think that would be a better option than Savala, who is batting .178 and striking out a horrendous 42.6% of the time for a 69 wRC+.
There’s a reason nobody else picked him up: he’s old and bad.
I’d rather have old and “bad” (Lucroy) than young and worse (Savala).
And I’m not suggesting that Lucroy is a great option, but the team has a lot of areas that they could stand to upgrade, and they have a thin farm system, so cheap options must at least be considered. Rejecting any option simply because he is “old” is irresponsible.
Wilson Ramos was released by the Tigers just recently. I think the Indians signed him to a minor league deal. I think he could get out of the contract if CWS signed him to a ML contract. Wilson Ramos would be a better option than Lucroy in my opinion. If the CWS go the FA route.
@Oddvark
Jonathan Lucroy started this season with the Washington Nationals and went 5 for 14. He was signed as a FA after the White Sox released him late in S/T. Lucroy was needed when the Nationals first series was postponed because of a COVID-19 outbreak that temporarily saw them lose catchers Yan Gomez and Alex Avila among 11 other players. When the two catchers were reinstated, Lucroy was DFA’d and later signed a minor league contract with the Braves.
The Sox are eventually going to have their entire lineup on the IL the way they are going.
I guess we’ll see how well Collins does playing every day. Hopefully he can take full advantage of this opportunity.
Good thing they are 14 over .500 and have a 6 game lead in a weak division. I shudder to think who’s the next one going down.
He’s hit well while barely playing, so I expect his bat to look even better with regular time. As for the rest of his game, this sink/swim opportunity is a good thing IMO.
CWS should call up the Pirates. Stallings and Collins would be a good Lefty/Righty platoon at Catcher. Stallings always has a surprisingly good WAR. He’s a good defensive catcher and contributes offensively enough.
CWS could kill 2 birds. Get their 2B replacement for N.Madrigal with A.Frazier and get Stallings too.
I don’t think the CWS have the pitching prospects that the Pirates are reportedly interested in though. I would imagine Jared Kelly would be too much for Frazier. But maybe both Stallings and Frazier. CWS would probably still balk at that though too. I don’t see much depth at Pitching in their system though. I guess M.Thompson, but it sounds like he’s raw. Maybe Norge Vera or Dalquist but not much after that. Especially under the age of 21-22.
I would love for the Pirates to get Garret Crochet though. But I don’t see that happening either.
No on Crochet, but yes to the rest of this.
Sound post pittsburghbob. A win win for both clubs.
Entire Sox lineup could be on IL and Sox still win 2021 WS!!!
Sox thinking they will win anything more than their weak division is a dream
Rosters on July 6 and rosters on September 1 can be very different.
Sox can stand pat and get two absolute stud players for the 2nd half just but waiting out injuries. Bad take.
I wish they had kept McCann.
Why ? he’s terrible
CWS are getting killed with injuries. Call the Pirates!! Adam Frazier and Stallings would be two nice stop-gaps that keep the CWS in the play-off race.
Pirates should ask for G.Sheets to help
Their lack of 1B prospects. CWS have Abreu/A.Vaughn blocking him somewhat. And they should ask for one of the Pitching prospects like Norge Vera.
Send the CWS Frazier and Stallings.
My thought exactly. Pirates won’t want to part with Stallings though, probably would for an overpay though. Stallings/Frazier would have to return something pretty great though as you’re trading an all star and a gold glove caliber catcher with lots of control left.
LOL. The Pirates aren’t trading Frazier AND Stallings for a return led by Gavin Sheets.
The White Sox will need to either subtract from their MLB lineup or temper their hopes for who to trade for. That system, outside of the 3-4 that are currently on the MLB team, is really bad.
Pirates don’t really want anyone at the major league level anyways.
The system isn’t bad, it’s just they have a ton of guys that are really young, due to their prep heavy drafts recently. Sox system is loaded with prep pitching talent
If the Cards punt on this season (unusual), maybe Yadier reunion with TLR deal for a postseason opportunity can be worked out.
Quite the injury list the White Sox are building.
Injuries result of Sox playing too hard!
“Ricky’s boys don’t quit!” Neither do TLR’s boys.
Other teams don’t hustle nearly as much.
You said it pal! The White Sox are Chicago’s blue collar working class baseball team, unlike those pampered primadonnas on the other side of town. 🙂
Stallings or maybe claim the Goosh-shoe
Grandal’s WAR this year is 1.7. Stallings is 1.4. Very serviceable stop-gap. Good defensively and contributes enough offensively. Good luck with Collins, who strikes out 1 out of 2.7 ABs and isn’t nearly as good. Collins = 0.1 WAR this season..lol.
Collins base hit gave Sox 2-0 lead tonight.
Still a negative career WAR.
I’m not saying he doenst have potential. But a contending team doenst have time for a prospect to get his feet wet. You’re either ready and contribute or you don’t play.
Stallings would be a better option for the CWS. Atleast a platoon of Stallings and Collins.
Throw Stallings into a larger deal for Frazier, sure.
Expletives are disallowed on this forum. But I am definitely muttering them after reading this.
Not a fan of not bringing back Mercedes. If the idea is that Zavala is the better catcher, they need to make a deal for a new backup.
Mercedes should never be allowed to catch at the Major League level. Especially not for a contending team.
He would be a backup, and the second backup at that.
Pretty much any catcher they can get right now has no business in the major leagues. At least he has shown he can hit.
Contact Arizona about Stephen Vogt?
Just a crazy amount of injuries this year. The White can field an entire team of position players who have been or are currently on the injured list. Good, solid players too.
Contreras, Bryant, Kimbrel, and Baez for Jimenez, Grandal, and Robert
Lol. Do u understand MLB contracts. And Bryant is in need of one. And Jimenez and Robert are cost controlled and under contract for awhile.
I don’t even know how long but I bet one of them, longer than all 4 of the players from the Cubs u are saying to trade.
White Sox don’t win a WS this year without some major moves. Cubs gave up Torres for three months of Chapman. Cubs gave up Jimenez for Quintana and a few years of control. When you have a window open to win a WS, you take it. Jimenez, Grandal, and Robert (all injured) are not going to help the White Sox this year. Contreras is controlled through 2022 and an All-Star catcher. Baez can play 2nd and Bryant LF. Kimbrel shuts the door in the ninth. Fills all the holes for the White Sox and gets them a championship (probably).
Controlled through all of 2022..?? No way?? Compared to 5-7 years of Jimenez and Robert each.
Lol. Good luck with it!! Zero chance!!
If Cubs get a top 100 prospect back for Bryant. I’d be surprised. Same with Kimbrel. Maybe a top 150 for Kimbrel.
You want 2 top 10 prospects in all of MLB, that are MLB ready.
Again, good luck.
Is Baez a FA at seasons end too?? Lol , even better!!
One can dream…thanks for playing
If the Cubs decide to sell. They should get good prospects for Kimbrel and Bryant. Just not Jimenez or Robert.
Torres was a top Prospect when the Cubs traded him for Chapman. But from what I remember, they had too. Chapman was in demand. They had to outbid other teams. And Jimenez wasn’t what he is now when the Cubs traded him. And Quintana was the prize SP at the TD b/c he was controlled cheaply for a number of years.
I agree with u on going for it when u have a window. U can’t fall in love with your prospects. But trading Jimenez or Robert now is just crazy. They are cornerstones of the franchise.
If u said, Jared Kelly, Cespedes, Vaughn for that package then, ok, that’s different. It’s still a ton but different than Jimenez and Robert.
I’ll trade some Spider Tack to have the last four hours of my life back instead of watching the Cubs today (or the past ten + days)
U watch the Cubs?!!
Waste of a life…
I’d rather watch “The Bachelorette”! Ha!
Cubs fans need to stop referring to that Chapman deal as a fair cost for a rental. Cubs got fleeced because they were desperate. Even with Chapman, Maddon almost misused that bullpen enough to cost them the title; with proper BP use, they might have won without Chapman. The Sox aren’t as desperate as those Cubs and, even if they were, there’s no reason to massively overpay when the window is just opening. A massive overpay is something you do for a last hurrah, all-in effort before everyone leaves in FA and you start a rebuild.
Waiting for the new Cubs’ manager rumors to start!
Where’s Ricky Rental? He’s good with young teams and Andy Green is already there ready to assume command.
And this is why the Cubs window slammed shut as quickly as it opened. They mortgaged their future, loaded up with brutal contracts, and didn’t pay their core. Sox have gone about this the right way so far. You don’t trade 3 core pieces, injured or not, when your window is just opening. Torres was the future. Same with Jimenez. You are suggesting the Sox trade their core. Very very different
Wow what a terrible trade idea
Bryant hamstring injury and pulled from game tonight.
Karma! For Cubbie fans trolling Sox injuries.
Don’t want any more injured players on Sox.
So, no Trade!
Sox’s fans need to look at the bright of Grandal’s injury and missing some time which is Collins will get some playing time to see if he is ready to be the number one catcher in the future. After all, Collins came up with both Cease and Kopech through the Sox’s farm system were made between them. Collins was putting up some solid numbers in AAA before the Sox brought up but did not get too much playing time until this season since both Grandal and McCann were blocking his playing time.
In these next four to six weeks we shall see if Collins was well worth being a first round draft pick. I am one of the few White Sox fans that had a lot of faith in Collins as a number one catcher and here is his chance to prove himself.
Collins is not the number 1 catcher of the future. He still can’t hit lefties, he can’t throw runners out and he is terrible at framing. HIs blocking is improved by still fringy.
He’s fine as a backup, and can maybe become a platoon masher, but he will never hit LHP well enough to justify his significant deficiencies behind the plate.
At least framing won’t be a thing in another year or two! 🙂
This White Sox season reminds me of The Simpsons episode “Homer at the Bat.”