To Qualify or Not?
The Yankees face a pivotal decision regarding Trent Grisham as they approach Thursday’s deadline for making a qualifying offer to a free agent. It’s a noteworthy choice, especially considering that just last year, there were doubts about whether Grisham would even land a contract for 2025.
Now, the Yankees find themselves in a situation where they could be responsible for a hefty $22,025,000, with Grisham being the standout option among this year’s free agents for a qualifying offer. Cody Bellinger isn’t eligible for this since he’s already received one earlier in his career. Meanwhile, reliever Devin Williams has just completed his first season in pinstripes, making it a bit of a struggle for him to secure a qualifying offer.
If the Yankees decide to extend the qualifying offer to the 29-year-old Grisham, they will gain draft pick compensation should he choose to sign elsewhere. It’s also a possibility that Grisham accepts the offer before they even know the status of Bellinger’s potential re-signing. That said, the offer would likely carry a higher average annual value than what he might see on the open market, although a multi-year deal could potentially bring him more overall money.
Re-signing both Bellinger and Grisham could complicate the outfield situation, especially with Aaron Judge already in the mix. This would cast uncertainty on Jason Dominguez’s future with the team, not to mention possibly hindering the chances for top prospect Spencer Jones to make it to the Bronx by 2026.
Even if Grisham accepts a qualifying offer, the Yankees could still trade him. But if they choose not to make the offer and miss out on Bellinger, they might scramble to fill the center field position. There are plenty of suitors for Bellinger, as he stands as the second-best outfield option in this free agency period after Kyle Tucker. Aside from Grisham and Bellinger, the options in the outfield market are somewhat limited.
Interestingly, former Yankee Harrison Bader just opted out of his contract with the Phillies. He could be considered as a strong option, known for both his defense and right-handed hitting.
The issue may come down to whether the Yankees believe Grisham’s strong 2025 performance is something he can sustain. His first six MLB seasons were underwhelming, with a .213 batting average, a .697 OPS, and only 70 home runs. This includes a poor stint with the Yankees in 2024, where he batted just .190 in 76 games as a fourth outfielder after being part of the massive Juan Soto trade.
However, this year has marked a significant turnaround for Grisham. He started 124 games in center field, sharing some time with Bellinger, and finished with a .235 average, an .811 OPS, and an impressive 34 home runs—doubling his previous career high.
Grisham attributes this improvement to better mental focus, and by season’s end, he had become the Yankees’ go-to leadoff hitter against right-handed pitchers. His understanding of the strike zone allowed him to have patient at-bats, a trademark of the Yankees, even when hits were sometimes elusive. His on-base percentage of .348 ranked third among current Yankees players, trailing only Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
Defensively, Grisham was competent, though advanced metrics showed a dip, raising questions about his future performance as he ages. The two-time Gold Glove winner recorded -11 points allowed, placing him fourth-worst among the 17 qualifying center fielders.
