Yasmani Grandal (C, LAD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Two-Catcher Leagues, Stash in Deep Mixed Leagues

OWNED IN: 20 Percent of Fleaflicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: Yasmani Grandal was set to start the season on time after undergoing shoulder surgery this offseason, but a forearm injury in spring training resulted in the 27-year-old missing more than a week of action to begin April.

Grandal brought his trademark plate discipline and power with him upon his return, entering Wednesday’s action slashing .295/.426/.477 over 16 games. While his .353 BABIP is likely unsustainable based on track record, Grandal has shown improvement in his brief time on the field. He has cut his strikeout rate down to a manageable 17 percent, while notching a 40 percent hard contact rate.

Ordinarily, this would be the part where I would tell you to grab Grandal in all leagues, but he has faced some playing time issues since returning. Grandal has logged just seven at-bats against left-handed pitching, and may yield to A.J. Ellis whenever Clayton Kershaw takes the mound. He has produced adequately against both sides of the platoon for most of his career, which likely means the time off is related to injury concern more than anything else. Grandal has the chance to be an offensive force if given consistent playing time, but the possibility that he is being monitored for health reasons makes it difficult to say when that might happen.