While the Los Angeles Dodgers have struggled as a group during recent games, one exception has generally been Yasmani Grandal. He helped carry the team through the early stages of the season and did so throughout July and now into August.
On Wednesday night, Grandal led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo home run that ended Chase Anderson’s perfect game and cut the Milwaukee Brewers’ lead in half. Then in the 10th inning, Grandal connected on a two-run walk-off home run.
He finished the night 3-for-5. The multi-home run game was Grandal’s third of the season and second in the past eight days. His 19 homers are second on the team but lead all National League catchers.
Despite the impressive display of power, Grandal explained he isn’t concerned or impressed by his home run total, via Michael Duarte of NBC L.A.:
“I don’t really look into it. Home runs don’t really mean anything, especially nowadays. There could be guys that have five homers and are considered best in the game. It doesn’t really matter. Day in and day out, I think the main thing for me is, when I’m out there playing, are we winning games? If we’re not, then we’ve got to change something.”
On the season, the switch-hitting catcher is now batting .263/.361/.510. After struggling through May and June, Grandal produced a .364/.488/.727 slash line in 22 games (16 starts) during July, complete with four doubles, one triple, six home runs and 14 RBI.
The production the Dodgers are receiving from Grandal is particularly key when considering Austin Barnes has taken a step back from his impressive showing down the stretch of the 2017 season and into the postseason.
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