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Red Sox Catcher and Two-Time All-Star Expected to Retire After 13-Year Career

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matthew Sullivan | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 4:25 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox signed 13-year veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal to a Minor League deal to help with their catcher depth within the organization. However, after appearing in just 23 games for the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate, the veteran catcher is expected to retire.

A story from Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com had a story on Grandal's expected retirement following his departure from the Worcester Red Sox. Cotillo writes, "A source indicated that the Red Sox expect Grandal to retire, as WooSox manager Chad Tracy said a day earlier."

With the Red Sox in 2025, Grandal appeared in 23 games and had 78 at-bats. He hit .256, with a .770 OPS, with two home runs and 16 RBI on 20 hits. Grandal, in his age-36 season, was attempting to make a comeback to the MLB. But, after the Red Sox didn't call him up, Grandal has leaned towards retirement.

Across his 13-year MLB career, Grandal was named an All-Star twice, once in 2015 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and again in 2019 with the Milwaukee Brewers. While Grandal struggled near the end of his career, his career numbers were still impressive.

During his 13-year career, Grandal amassed 20.2 WAR. Grandal played in 1,307 games and had 4,885 plate appearances in his career. He had 977 hits, 535 runs, 183 doubles, 7 triples, 194 home runs, and 592 RBI during his long career.

Grandal hit for a .236 batting average, with a .769 OPS and a 110 OPS+ since his debut in 2012 with the San Diego Padres.

While his stint with the Red Sox was short-lived and only in the Minor Leagues, Grandal left a lasting impact on Tracy. "He didn't isolate himself," Trady said. "He was right in the middle of everything, teaching young guys, it was great."

With his 13 years in MLB and his two All-Star nods, Grandal had a very successful career as a catcher and first baseman in the Major Leagues. His final season in MLB was with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he finished his career on a strong note.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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