The Los Angeles Dodgers had a luxury behind the plate last year that not many other teams could say they had as both Yasmani Grandal and Austin Barnes were starting-caliber catchers.
Barnes began the season as Grandal’s backup, but as the season went on he emerged as the better option for manager Dave Roberts and wound up supplanting Grandal as the starter towards the end of the season and in the postseason, starting 13 of the Dodgers 15 playoff games.
Now going into 2018 Roberts has a difficult decision to make, as both backstops will be returning to the team and are likely expecting to be the starter.