Arizona Diamondbacks sign outfielder Randal Grichuk to 1-year contract

The Arizona Diamondbacks signed outfielder Randal Grichuk to a one-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2025, the team announced Saturday.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first to report the signing and adds it’s a $2 million deal that will pay Grichuk $1.5 million in 2024 and carries a $6 million option with a $500,000 buyout. Performance bonuses are also attached.

“We are looking for every way possible to continue to shore up our roster,” general manager Mike Hazen told reporters Saturday. “We like him as a baseball player first and foremost, going out there in the outfield and he’s going to hit lefties for us. Gives (manager Torey Lovullo) more options to deploy his roster on a daily basis.”

Arizona Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen on new addition Randal Grichuk:

“We’re looking every way possible to continue to shore up our roster and we like him as a baseball player first and foremost overall.”

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Grichuk is coming off a 2023 season where he spent time with both the Colorado Rockies (64 games) and Los Angeles Angels (54). The right-handed hitter appeared in 118 games, recorded 116 hits and 44 RBIs and slashed .267/.321/.459.

Grichuk found success against lefties, too, slashing .328/.388/.607 with a .995 OPS in 67 games played last year.

“He has a proven track record of being able to hit at this level,” Lovullo told reporters Saturday. “He bounced around a little bit last year, I know that. He’s had a lot of success, especially against left-handed pitching. I think (general manager Mike Hazen) and Co. has done a good job of filling the needs this team has.

“I’ve always been a big fan sitting across the field from him. I know he can come up and have a quality at-bat at a critical time in the game. We got to get him in and see where he’s at.”

The outfielder made his MLB debut with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014, five years after he was taken by the Angels in the 2009 MLB Draft.

He spent four seasons with the Cardinals before getting dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018. Grichuk’s Toronto tenure lasted four seasons before he was traded to the Rockies in 2022.

He would end up with the Angels the following year in a midseason trade before eventually being placed on waivers.

Arizona’s addition of Grichuk comes after Hazen told reporters on Friday that the team was still looking for ways to improve the roster despite what’s been a busy offseason for the organization.

“There’s still players in the market and (managing partner Ken Kendrick) has still told me to continue to improve the team any way that we can within the bounds that we have,” Hazen said. “So, we’re still out there actively trying to do that.”

Arizona’s additions this offseason include third baseman Eugenio Suarez, pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez and outfielder/designated hitter Joc Pederson. The Diamondbacks also re-signed outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Arizona Diamondbacks place RHP Drey Jameson on 60-day IL

In a corresponding move, the Diamondbacks placed right-handed pitcher Drey Jameson on the 60-day injured list after his Tommy John surgery in September.

Jameson first went on the injured list July 7 with right elbow inflammation, later revealed to be a UCL strain. He attempted to rehab his way back but opted for surgery near the end of the season.

He pitched in 15 games last year with three starts after making the Opening Day roster as a reliever and finished with a 3.32 ERA. The 2019 draft pick will turn 27 in August.

Wednesday opened the window for clubs to move players onto the 60-day IL and create roster space for moves.

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