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Yankees could make surprising decision on Trent Grisham.
The New York Yankees decided to bring back the same outfield as last season.
New York extended a qualifying offer to Trent Grisham, which he accepted, as he’s expected to be the starting center fielder again. However, in spring training, Grisham has struggled, and with Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones pushing for playing time, New York could make a surprising decision.
Yankees analyst Stephen Parello of YanksGoYard wonders if Grisham could lose his starting job amid his slow start.
“It’s not time to panic, but this is worth monitoring,” Parello wrote. “If it were just a spring cold spell, that would be one thing. But there are a couple of youngsters who could be turning up the pressure on the veteran. … If the ultimate goal is to win a World Series, then the best players need to be on the Opening Day roster. Grisham’s status in that regard isn’t in question. The Yankees won’t eat $22 million just because of a lackluster spring. But is his job as the starting center fielder starting to rest on shaky ground?
“If he continues to struggle and Dominguez finishes the spring with the most impressive performance, he could force the issue. In this scenario, Cody Bellinger would move to center, Dominguez would take over in left, and Grisham would become the fourth outfielder. Jones continuing to hit moonshots with regularity could be the impetus for a similar situation. In this hypothetical, he’d move into center, where he’d likely be a defensive upgrade, and force Grisham to the bench.”
Grisham is hitting .118 in spring training, as he’s been off to a slow start. Although Grisham will be given the benefit of the doubt, his struggles could lead to a surprising move.
Yankees Focused on Winning
Although New York brought back Grisham on a $22.025 million deal, he accepted the qualifying offer.
Yet, if Grisham struggles, Parello believes the Yankees need to bench him as they need to win and play the best players, regardless of their contract.
“Remember, last season, the intention wasn’t to have Grisham as the everyday center fielder, but his hot hitting changed everything,” Parello added. “If he begins the season as the fourth outfielder and then proves to be the better option once the games actually count, the Yankees could always pivot. If not, then sending the youngsters to Scranton for a scuffling vet could cause them to drop valuable games in March and April. At the end of the day, the wins and losses count the same, no matter when they come.
“Would the Yankees actually have the gall to do something like this? Probably not. Are we at the point where this should be a consideration? Not yet, but the signs are there. If the Yankees are being honest, these thoughts should be rolling around in the back of their minds. And if it continues, a difficult conversation should ensue.”
Grisham hit .235 with 34 home runs and 74 RBIs last season with the Yankees.
Brian Cashman Likes New York’s Roster
The Yankees lost in the ALDS last season, and the team is running back a very similar roster.
Yet, general manager Brian Cashman disagrees, as he said it’s a different roster, and he believes they have a championship-caliber roster.
“It’s not the same roster,” Cashman said. “I disagree it’s the same team running it back. … Not afraid to run with the quality and talented roster of players that we do have. I think we’ve been consistent with that throughout the entire winter. I’ve been openly willing to challenge anybody that (says) we don’t have a championship-caliber roster and team.”
The Yankees have the second-best odds of winning the World Series at +1000.
Cole Shelton Cole Shelton covers the NHL, MLB and Cleveland Browns for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, including bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network and more. More about Cole Shelton
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