Padres’ Power Play: Experts Urge Blockbuster Signing of Former Dodgers All-Star, Signaling a Desperate Bid for NL West Dominance and a Potential Roster Revolution
The San Diego Padres signed All-Star catcher Elias Diaz on a one-year, $3.5 million deal as the team’s first major league signing of the offseason.
The deal seemingly secured the Padres’ starting backstop for the 2025 season, but Diaz’s spring sample has not been very strong. In 25 at-bats, the veteran is hitting .160.
To make matters worse, Padres catchers had not recorded an extra-base hit in Cactus League until Luis Campusano homered Sunday. There’s a possibility Campusano will start the season in Triple-A.
With limited options at catchers, Robert Murray of FanSided makes a case for the Padres to sign a familiar face who was also a former Los Angeles Dodgers backstop: Yasmani Grandal.
The 36-year-old made his Major League debut with the Friars in 2012 and spent three seasons with the team before he was traded to Dodgers in 2015.
It was with the Dodgers that Grandal put up All-Star numbers. Over a 13-year career, he’s slashed .236/.345/.424 with 194 home runs and 592 RBIs.
Signing Grandal wouldn’t exactly change the franchise’s fortunes, but it would definitely give the Padres more options at catcher. Ideally, Grandal and Diaz could split time throughout the season.
Grandal has received at least one offer this offseason from the Atlanta Braves, which he turned down about a month ago. However, he is reportedly hoping for other opportunities to materialize.
It appears there could be room for a reunion with the Padres; however, reports also stated Grandal is considering retirement.
President of baseball operations A.J. Preller enjoys making last-minute acquisitions, and acquiring Grandal would fall in line with the rest of the Padres’ signings of mostly veterans this offseason.
