Cincinnati Reds: Missing out on Yasmani Grandal will increase urgency

Yasmani Grandal signed a deal with the Chicago White Sox. With one of the Cincinnati Reds targeted free agents now off the board, the urgency will increase.

I’m not going to call this a swing and miss for the Cincinnati Reds, but their pursuit of Yasmani Grandal was no secret. The 31-year-old catcher signed a four-year/$73M contract with Chicago White Sox this afternoon. With Grandal off the board, Dick Williams, Nick Krall and the Cincinnati front office need to intensify their pursuit of other top free agents.

I’ll be honest, this one stings a little bit. With the salary available, landing Yasmani Grandal was within reach for the Cincinnati Reds. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that the Reds were in on Grandal as well. But, it takes two sides to make a deal and Grandal decided he preferred to play in the Windy City.

The Reds front office has put a big emphasis on gathering offensive talent this offseason. Grandal was easily the best hitting-catcher available, and it’s arguable that no other backstop on the market is a vast improvement offensively over the current tandem of Tucker Barnhart and Curt Casali. To be honest, prospect Tyler Stephenson may be a better option than some free agent catchers.

So what do the Reds do now? Well, unless the front office swings a deal with another team and trades for an offensive-minded catcher, I’m thinking we’ll see Tucker and Casali splitting time behind the plate again in 2020. Beyond the catcher’s spot, the Reds front office now has to get aggressive in talks with other free agents of interest.

With the Reds rumored to be interested in the likes of Didi Gregorius, Marcell Ozuna and Nicholas Castellanos, it’s time to put the rumors to bed and make it a reality. Any one of those three would be an immediate offensive upgrade over what the Reds currently have on the roster.

The corner outfield spots are unsettled and the best shortstop on the team currently is Freddy Galvis. While I think Galvis could be a serviceable shortstop next season, I’d much prefer Gregorius. Jesse Winker and Aristides Aquino both have potential, but Winker’s health and Aquino’s inexperience are concerning. Adding a player like Ozuna would solve those issues.

Whatever Cincinnati is going to do on the free agent market, they need to do it fast. It’s time to throw caution to the wind and make a deal. If the Reds are serious about being a contender in the NL Central next season, a big signing in free agency is a must. With Yasmani Grandal off the market, the biggest offensive upgrade is gone. What’s Plan B? Hopefully the fans find out very soon.