The New York Yankees’ daily lineup will look very similar to last season after the team managed to bring back key free agents this offseason, including 29-year-old slugger Trent Grisham.
Grisham had a surprising breakout season for the Yankees last year, setting career highs with 34 home runs and 74 runs batted in. The two-time Gold Glove outfielder had never hit more than 17 home runs in his first six seasons in the league, but doubled that total last season, though he remains a low-average batter.
New York brought back Grisham on a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer this offseason, putting pressure on the seven-year veteran to produce at a high level again this season.
Was Grisham’s explosive season last year a fluke? The New York Post’s Greg Joyce certainly believes so, labeling the star slugger as the Yankees player “most likely to disappoint” this season.
“Nobody expected much out of Trent Grisham entering last season, only for the center fielder to grab an everyday role and crush 34 home runs, doubling his previous career high,” Joyce wrote Monday.
“That resulted in the Yankees making him the $22.025 million qualifying offer and Grisham accepting, turning up the heat on him to produce at a similar clip in 2026. The Yankees believe his breakout season was not a fluke, but if he does not match that .811 OPS, there will be renewed questions about whether the Yankees made a mistake with the qualifying offer.”
The Yankees have multiple promising outfield prospects in Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, who were both sent to the minor leagues in favor of Grisham this season. Instead of spending money elsewhere and developing its young outfielders, New York spent $22 million bringing Grisham back. If the 29-year-old slugger regresses and his bat cools down, it will be interesting to see how the Yankees handle their outfield.
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