PHOENIX — On a back field, beneath the glare of the morning sun and without much of an audience, new White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal showed that he’ll do whatever it takes whenever he can.
Grandal, acquired as a big-ticket free agent this winter, was seeing his first game action after getting off to a slow start this spring because of a mild left calf strain. That his appearance came in a B game against a majority of minor-leaguers did not diminish his effort.
There was his work behind the plate for three innings in a game that was started by Steve Cishek. And there was a sign of his hitting prowess with a double in his first at-bat against a Reds team that had former Sox infielder Willie Harris coaching at first base.
But Grandal also had the chance to show his willingness to use the little things to his advantage. With the Reds in a pronounced defensive shift after his double, Grandal went ahead and stole third. He has decent speed for a catcher, but steals are far from his hidden talent. He only has 11 in his major-league career.
With his pitch-framing skills, his work with talented pitching staffs in Los Angeles and Milwaukee the last five seasons and his no-nonsense leadership abilities, Grandal has shown he can be the full package.
It’s exactly what the Sox were looking for when they signed him to a four-year, $73 million deal in November, long before baseball’s offseason transaction rush began.
“You’re talking about just smart baseball play,” manager Rick Renteria said. “Recklessness is something you’re not looking for, [but]he doesn’t do a reckless job. He’s a smart baserunner, a smart baseball player. He tries to get every edge you can. It’s really nice to have that.”
With a mix of veterans and budding elite talent, the Sox will take all of the lead-by-example plays they can get, whether it’s in front of 45,000 or fewer than 450, like Wednesday.
“Hopefully, it’s something we as a team and organization can take advantage of, and everybody starts kind of learning from it and continues to build,” Renteria said.
More of Grandal’s team-first approach came after his three innings and two at-bats (he also struck out). He declined an immediate interview request in order to get his daily work done in the trainer’s room and in the weight room.
Hitting an average of 25.3 home runs and driving in 68.8 runs in his last four seasons in the National League, not to mention a .347 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage, isn’t something that happens by accident.
A switch hitter, both of Grandal’s at-bats against the Reds came from the left side. Trying to take advantage of the relaxed nature of the B game, he waited around awhile to see if the Reds would use a left-hander so he could get some right-handed at-bats, but it never happened, and he called it a day.
Based on how Grandal feels after this game, the plan is to have him play in his first Cactus League game Friday in Mesa against the Cubs.
The Sox still have three weeks of spring-training games to get ready before Opening Day on March 26 at home against the Royals. Those right-handed at-bats for Grandal will come.
“Obviously, he wants to get his baseball legs back underneath him and continue to progress,” Renteria said.
