Outfielder Randal Grichuk has decided to decline his mutual option with the Arizona Diamondbacks, effectively making him a free agent. The option was worth $6 million but Grichuk will receive a $1.75 million buyout after hitting both 200 and 250 plate appearances which added $1.25 million to his initial buyout of $500,000 per Ethan Hullihen on X.

Grichuk, 33, enjoyed a solid year with the Diamondbacks where he played in 106 games and slashed .291/.348/.528 with 12 home runs and a career-best 139 wRC+. His 2.2 rWAR was the highest since 2018 when he posted a 2.5 rWAR as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

As a member of the Diamondbacks Grichuk played more into a typical platoon role with the team, spending the majority of his time hitting against left-handed pitching. In 184 plate appearances against southpaws, Grichuk batted .319/.386/.528. Oddly enough, his 12 home runs were evenly split between righties and lefties, giving him the same slugging against either pitching arm. While his ability to hit southpaws was notable, his ability to produce without the platoon advantage played a part in 2024 as he put up a .913 OPS and 151 wRC+ against lefties and an .801 OPS and 116 wRC+ against righties.

Grichuk turned in decent months through the year, despite his power being diminished, but he finished the year strong in September/October. In his final 21 games of the year, Grichuk batted over .400 while clubbing seven home runs and driving in 19 runs. Overall in the second half of the season, he had a 1.012 OPS and was one of the more consistent pieces of a Diamondbacks roster that narrowly missed the playoffs.

What turned out to be a bargain deal for the Diamondbacks could turn into a nice little payday for Grichuk. Not only did Grichuk produce one of the best seasons since his rookie campaign in 2015, but he drastically improved his plate discipline in 2024, putting up the lowest strikeout rate and highest walk rate of his career while his 47.6% hard-hit rate was also a career-high. It may be tougher for the Diamondbacks to retain him, but a multi-year deal akin to Hunter Renfroe’s two-year, $13 million deal with the Royals last season could be in the same ballpark. Grichuk isn’t one of the top bats on the market but he serves as a valuable contributor for teams looking for a veteran presence that can fill roles as needed.

Defensively Grichuk is still capable of playing all three outfield positions, but is more valuable in the corner spots. Last season he recorded 3 Defensive Runs Saved in the outfield and was valued for -2 Outs Above Average. A bat first type of player, Grichuk is certain to garner some attention from plenty of teams in 2025.