Pitchers and catchers are just days away from reporting for duty across Florida and Arizona, yet there's still more work to be done before the book can be officially closed on Major League Baseball's offseason. Four of our top 10 free agents -- that is Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman, Blake Snell, and Jordan Montgomery -- remain unsigned. Eventually that has to change. Why not today? Below, you'll find all of Monday's latest news, notes, and moves.
Pirates sign Grandal
The Pirates have signed veteran catcher Yasmani Grandal to a one-year pact, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com.
Grandal, 35, is a two-time All Star who spent the last four seasons with the White Sox. In 2023, he compiled a .234/.309/.339 slash line (77 OPS+) with eight home runs in 118 games. Grandal finished below the replacement-level line, per Baseball-Reference's calculations.
There's good reason to be skeptical about Grandal returning to form -- he hit the ball weaker than usual; he expanded his strike zone more frequently; and so on -- he remains an above-average framer who can slot in as former No. 1 pick Henry Davis's backup.
Astros to talk extension with Tucker
Astros general manager Dana Brown confirmed during an appearance on MLB Network Radio (hat tip to MLB Trade Rumors) that he intends to discuss a long-term extension with outfielder Kyle Tucker.
Tucker, 27, is slated to remain under team control through the 2025 season. In parts of six seasons to date, he's hit .272/.345/.507 (133 OPS+) with 102 home runs and 18.3 Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball-Reference's estimates.
It's unclear what kind of offer Tucker would require to remain with the Astros long term. Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds signed a seven-year pact worth $100 million last April. Reynolds had between four and five years of service time, but his career marks included roughly one fewer WAR per 162 games and five fewer points of OPS+. Add in inflation and how Tucker is younger than Reynolds was, and it's reasonable to think Tucker's deal would be richer.
Padres bring back Profar
The Padres have signed veteran utilityman Jurickson Profar to a one-year deal worth at least $1 million, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Profar, 30, will enter his third stint with San Diego. In parts of four prior seasons, he posted a 102 OPS+ in 359 games. Profar signed with the Rockies ahead of the 2023 season and played 111 games for Colorado before returning to the Padres after getting released in August.
As it stands, he figures to slot in as San Diego's starting left fielder to begin the year.
