Grandal after Game 3 criticism: 'I value my opinion way over everybody else'
Yasmani Grandal is in the postseason spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
After his rough showing during Game 3, manager Dave Roberts has benched the Los Angeles Dodgers catcher in favor of Austin Barnes for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday night.
Grandal allowed his third passed ball over his last two starts on Monday and didn't block Walker Buehler's breaking ball in the dirt during the sixth inning, allowing Travis Shaw to score the Milwaukee Brewers' second run in an eventual 4-0 loss.
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)
At the plate, the veteran catcher struck out three times, including once with the bases loaded in the ninth, and he left five runners on base.
After Game 3, Grandal didn't seem to care what people thought about how he played, even after the home crowd booed him several times.
"I think it's driving you guys more nuts than it's driving me," Grandal told reporters. "I blocked eight balls in the dirt today. The one ball that kicks off the plate and we had a man on third, it still hits me in a good spot. It just happened to be one of those plays where, as the ball is coming down, it's picking up speed and hits the back of the plate and picks up even more speed.
"I think any baseball person understands what it is to block a ball like that. The way I see it is overall I was pretty good. I don't really hear the noise outside. I value my opinion way over everybody else so that's what keeps me sane."
During Game 1 of the NLCS, Grandal became the first catcher in postseason history to commit two errors and allow two passed balls in the same game. He did all that over the first three innings.
He's also allowed 28 passed balls since the beginning of the 2017 season, which trails only the Yankees' Gary Sanchez during that span.
Despite his defensive struggles and benching, Grandal still has the support of his teammates.
"If they think that they can do it, then go ahead, put on your gear and go catch 99 with breaking balls that have a lot of movement," Enrique Hernandez said of the fans who booed Grandal, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "He's been one of the best catchers in the game for a while now. He's having a little bit of a rough patch, which we all - as humans, as baseball players - go through."