It’s hard to gauge how much of a difference 37-year-old catcher Martin Maldonado will make for the White Sox’ 2024 pitching staff.
Pitchers who threw to the veteran of six consecutive postseasons and three World Series, including a title with the 2022 Astros, shower him with respect. And Maldonado thrives on being an asset to his staff. But adding him to the Sox’ roster might be like putting lipstick on a pig. After all, even if Dylan Cease isn’t traded, the Sox’ pitching staff is filled with question marks and reclamation projects.
“He will definitely bring experience and run the game plan and adjust better than the previous [catcher Yasmani Grandal],” a major-league scout said.
“The question is, who is Maldonado really bringing along? It’s not like they have three rookie starters or second-year players that need to take that next leap.”
The Sox’ pitching staff has numerous starters and relievers who need to step up their careers, though. The rotation in a rebuilding year could be Michael Kopech, Erick Fedde, Michael Soroka, Chris Flexen and Touki Toussaint, and that’s just a guess. All of them are experienced but trying to turn their career paths in a positive direction.
Reliever Kendall Graveman (who will miss this season with the Astros after shoulder surgery) pitched to Maldonado with the Astros and strongly suggested anyone who works with him will benefit.
“You can never overstate the importance of what a catcher can do to a pitching staff,” Graveman told the Sun-Times. “Maldonado is the most prepared catcher going into a season, into a game, that I have ever seen or been around.”
Maldonado, a Gold Glove winner in 2017, prides himself on that.
“He understands how to communicate to each pitcher and is always convicted,” Graveman said. “He is a leader in every aspect of the word. He’s an outstanding father and husband in his family. If he doesn’t get a hit at the plate all year, he will be worth every penny he is getting paid, and that’s a fact.”
Nudged out of the Astros’ catching mix with Yainer Diaz, 25, taking the top spot and Victor Caratini signed in the offseason, Maldonado turned to the rebuilding Sox and signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract Jan. 5 that includes a club option for 2025. He’ll receive $4 million in 2024, with a $4 million option for 2025 that includes a $250,000 buyout.
The Sox’ front office and manager Pedro Grifol view Maldonado as a thinker, receiver and thrower who will provide a considerably better clubhouse presence than Grandal, who fell short in those regards while getting paid $73 million over four seasons.
After signing with the Sox, Maldonado said his reputation is built on “my preparation and the way I care about the pitching staff. The way I explain to them why, the reason why I do this or why I do that.”
“I’ve been blessed,” Maldonado said. “Throughout my career, I’ve been working with a lot of great pitching staffs, and I always learn something from everybody, every time you have a conversation. It could be between innings, it could be after a bullpen, at spring training, it could be in the weight room. Wherever we have that conversation, just understand what they want to do and how you can contribute to their success.”
Graveman alluded to Maldonado’s lacking offense, which looks like this: a .207/.282/.349 hitting line in 3,720 plate appearances, with a .183/.260/.333 line since the start of 2021. He does have 111 homers, including 12, 15 and 15 in the last three seasons.
“Defense, defense, defense” is Grifol’s refrain as the Sox, while not being built to win in ’24, heighten the emphasis on fielding and controlling opponents’ running games.
Veteran Max Stassi, also well-regarded defensively, will complement Maldonado, forming a fresh backstop tandem. Korey Lee, a teammate of Maldonado’s in Houston who came in a trade for Graveman last summer, should benefit from that pair’s presence during spring training and would be a call away at Triple-A Charlotte. The Sox’ No. 1 catching prospect, Edgar Quero, also should benefit from being around Maldonado.
“I am very excited to work with him,” Sox right-hander Jimmy Lambert said. “I don’t know him personally, but I’ve admired him from afar and have only heard great things. Kendall Graveman absolutely raved about him as a person and player. Loved throwing to him.”
At 37, it remains to be seen what Maldonado has left at a physically challenging position.
“I’ll be ready every day,” he said. “I’ve never asked for days off. As long as me and Pedro communicate, see where we’re at. But I will be there as much as they need me.”