Fantasy News

• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Back behind plate

  Rotowire Apr 20, 2024

  Grandal (foot) has started two games at catcher during his current rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, MLB.com reports. Grandal has been dealing with a foot injury since early March and began a rehab assignment April 16, serving as the designated hitter in one additional contest. He has one hit across eight at-bats, though the Pirates are likely more concerned with his recovery than his production.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Cleared for rehab assignment

  Rotowire Apr 16, 2024

  Grandal (foot) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports. Grandal has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot since early March but is finally ready to test things out in a game setting. Henry Davis has struggled in the early going, so the Pirates seem likely to stick with their original plan of splitting catching duties between Davis and Grandal once the latter is ready.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Close to running bases

  Rotowire Apr 9, 2024

  Grandal (foot) will begin baserunning drills in the coming days, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports. Grandal has been participating in simulated games as he works his way back from plantar fasciitis in his left foot. He wouldn't appear too far off from a rehab assignment if baserunning goes well, setting up the veteran catcher to potentially return before the end of April.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Not close to return

  Rotowire Apr 3, 2024

  Manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Grandal (foot) just started a running progression and is "a ways away" from being game ready, Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Progress has been slow since Grandal was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in early March, but the start of a running progression is an encouraging development. Still, the Pirates clearly don't expect the 35-year-old to be available anytime in the near future. The club traded for Joey Bart on Tuesday to boost its catching depth.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Hits IL to begin season

  Rotowire Mar 28, 2024

  The Pirates placed Grandal (foot) on the 10-day injured list Thursday. Grandal hasn't yet resumed running since experiencing plantar fasciitis in his left foot earlier this month, but once he's able to do so, he should be ready to head out on a rehab assignment. Manager Derek Shelton suggested early in spring training that Grandal would begin camp atop the depth chart at catcher, but the skipper's comments came before the 35-year-old was slowed by the foot injury. With that in mind, Grandal may not be guaranteed the No. 1 catching gig once he's activated from the IL, especially if Henry Davis gets off to a hot start to the season.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Could begin running next week

  Rotowire Mar 25, 2024

  Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Monday that Grandal (foot) could be cleared to begin running early next week, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Grandal has done advanced plyometric work as he rehabs from plantar fasciitis in his foot. He will begin the season on the injured list, which means Henry Davis will head into Opening Day atop the Pirates' catching depth chart.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Likely headed for IL

  Rotowire Mar 25, 2024

  Grandal (foot) is set to begin the season on the 10-day injured list, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports. The Pirates may wait until Thursday to officially place Grandal on the IL, but he'll be sidelined to begin the season while he still has yet to resume running as he works his way back from plantar fasciitis. Grandal hasn't been shut down from activity entirely, as he's still been able to catch and hit in simulated games at spring training as of last week, per MLB.com. While Grandal is on the shelf, Henry Davis should move into a full-time role behind the plate.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Won't run until next week

  Rotowire Mar 21, 2024

  Grandal (foot) won't be cleared to run until at least next week, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. He's able to do some other baseball activities, but Grandal's plantar fasciitis is still preventing him from running. Given that Opening Day is just a week away and he has just three Grapefruit League plate appearances under his belt, Grandal could very well be looking at a trip to the injured list. Henry Davis is poised for the lion's share of catching duties while Grandal is out.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Not able to run yet

  Rotowire Mar 13, 2024

  Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Grandal (foot) is able to hit and catch but is unable to run yet, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Grandal is battling plantar fasciitis and hasn't caught in a Grapefruit League game in a couple weeks. Manager Derek Shelton had said this past weekend that he expected the 35-year-old to be ready for games soon, but it's uncertain when that might happen. Grandal's foot issue could just come down to a matter of pain tolerance, though a stint on the injured list to begin the season can't be ruled out at this stage.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Battling plantar fasciitis

  Rotowire Mar 9, 2024

  Grandal is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his foot, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Grandal hasn't caught a spring training game since the end of February due to his foot, but manager Derek Shelton said he expects Grandal to resume playing in games soon. The 35-year-old will operate as Pittsburgh's starting catcher during the regular season, but Shelton has stated that Grandal's workload will be limited due to his age.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Will share starts at catcher

  Rotowire Feb 29, 2024

  Pirates manager Derek Shelton indicated Thursday that Grandal resides at the top of the catching depth chart but will need to have his workload limited, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. While it sounds like Shelton technically views Grandal as the starting catcher, he noted that Grandal is 35 years old and catching 100 games this season is "not going to happen." Shelton also indicated that the No. 2 catcher role is undecided, but whoever wins the job is "going to be in tandem a little bit" with the veteran. Grandal finished with just a .234/.309/.339 slash line over 405 plate appearances with the White Sox last season and doesn't make for a very appealing fantasy option.

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• Pirates' Yasmani Grandal: Joins Bucs

  Rotowire Feb 11, 2024

  Grandal and the Pirates agreed Sunday on a one-year, $2.5 million contract, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Grandal will make the move back to the National League after spending the past four seasons with the White Sox. The 35-year-old lost playing time down the stretch last season and and finished with a .234/.309/.339 slash line over 405 plate appearances. Though he was once an upper-tier fantasy catcher, Grandal is clearly on the downside of his career, as he's posted a lowly 74 wRC+ over the past two seasons. In Pittsburgh, Grandal projects to see a couple of starts per week behind the plate as young backstop Henry Davis' primary backup. The switch-hitting Grandal has typically performed better against left-handed pitching throughout his career, so he could also be deployed as a short-side platoon option at first base or at designated hitter.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Filling in for resting Lee

  Rotowire Sep 18, 2023

  Grandal will start at catcher and bat seventh in Monday's game in Washington, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Grandal was on the bench for each of the White Sox's last four games but will pick up a start Monday while top backstop Korey Lee gets a breather. Though Lee is off to a 3-for-46 (.065 average) start to his time with the White Sox, he could still get the bulk of the starts at catcher over Grandal for the final two weeks of the season while the non-contending club plays out the string.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Starting Sunday, but losing time

  Rotowire Aug 27, 2023

  Grandal will start at catcher and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Athletics. Though he's back in the lineup for the series finale, Grandal was on the bench for each of the previous four games and appears to have moved into a reserve role while the White Sox prioritize younger players down the stretch. Korey Lee is sitting out Sunday but appears set to operate as Chicago's top backstop heading into September.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Receives breather Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 23, 2023

  Grandal is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mariners. Carlos Perez will step in behind the dish while Grandal retreats to the bench for a day game after a night game. Grandal had been included in the lineup at either catcher or designated hitter in each of the last seven contests, going 4-for-25 with two walks, two runs and no RBI.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Sitting Sunday

  Rotowire Aug 13, 2023

  Grandal isn't in the White Sox's lineup Sunday against the Brewers. After going 0-for-7 across the first two games of the series, Grandal will take a seat for Sunday's finale. Carlos Perez will start behind the dish and bat eighth.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Good to go Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 9, 2023

  Grandal (knee) will start at catcher and bat seventh in Wednesday's game against the Yankees. Grandal was lifted after five innings in Tuesday's 7-1 loss due to a sore left knee, but the injury won't be significant enough to keep him on the bench for the series finale. The veteran backstop will take a .683 OPS -- the second-lowest mark of his career -- into Wednesday's contest.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Exits with knee injury

  Rotowire Aug 8, 2023

  Grandal was removed from Tuesday's game against the Yankees with left knee soreness. Grandal previously missed time in June due to soreness in his right knee, and now his left knee is giving him problems as well. He's officially listed as day-to-day, suggesting the injury may not be too severe. However, more information will likely come after Tuesday's game.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: Reclaims top catching job

  Rotowire Aug 6, 2023

  Grandal will start at catcher and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Guardians, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. After sitting out a stretch of three straight games from last Sunday through Wednesday, Grandal has now picked up starts behind the plate in four straight contests. Though Grandal is holding down an unremarkable .688 OPS for the season, the White Sox still appear to be viewing him as a superior option at catcher than Seby Zavala.

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• White Sox's Yasmani Grandal: On bench again Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 2, 2023

  Grandal is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Rangers. Grandal hasn't drawn a start since Saturday, though he came off the bench Tuesday and there's no word of any new physical issue. Seby Zavala will catch again and bat ninth Wednesday versus Texas.

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