Free agent catcher Yasmani Grandal agreed to terms with the White Sox on Thursday on a four-year deal worth $73 million. And while the Mets pursued Grandal last offseason, they did not engage on him this time around, reports SNY's Andy Martino.
Grandal would have been a huge defensive upgrade over Wilson Ramos, who is under contract through the 2020 season. But it could have been tough for the Mets to pull off the switch, especially with Grandal signing this early.
While the Mets heavily pursued Grandal last offseason with rumors swirling that he turned down a deal worth $60 million over four seasons, Martino said that while the two sides were deep in talks and could've reached that point, the $60 million offer was never on the table.
The 31-year-old Grandal saved his team 19.4 runs with his framing ability alone this past season, behind just Austin Hedges (26.0). Ramos was 97th out of 113 catchers in 2019 when it came to saving runs with pitch-framing, worth -4.7 runs.
And Grandal's offense sure doesn't hurt, either. He slashed .246/.380/.468 with 28 homers and 26 doubles in 153 games in 2019.
Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has prioritized improving the team's defense this offseason, which could mean adding a true center fielder and shifting Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto to the corner outfield spots.
Van Wagenen has also cited the bullpen and starting rotation as two areas the Mets could look to add.
As far as catcher, while the Mets still have Ramos, they have reportedly expressed interest in free agent Robinson Chirinos, who had a strong season for the Astros in 2019.