Yankees’ Trent Grisham Facing Extended Absence
The Yankees are likely to be without Trent Grisham for a significant period after tests conducted on Monday confirmed a “moderate” strain in his right hamstring, according to manager Aaron Boone.
Initially, Boone had hoped the center fielder would only miss a brief amount of time. However, he later indicated that Grisham “will be out for a little while” due to the injury’s seriousness.
While Boone didn’t specify the exact duration of Grisham’s absence, it’s anticipated to be at least two to three weeks.
It’s a tough break for Grisham, especially since he had been turning things around lately, boasting a .994 OPS over the last 20 games. He’d also managed to hit four extra-base hits in just the last week.
In Grisham’s absence, Spencer Jones stepped back into center field—his preferred position—during Tuesday’s game against the White Sox, where he celebrated hitting his first home run at Yankee Stadium in a 12-2 victory.
Meanwhile, Giancarlo Stanton is still unavailable after an MRI revealed a recurrence of his right calf strain, an injury that had already kept him sidelined since late April.
Stanton felt discomfort while running the bases, noting it felt similar to his initial injury in Houston. While he had hoped to be back by Wednesday, those plans have now been indefinitely postponed.
Austin Wells, who had been dealing with neck issues, began his rehab assignment in the minors on Tuesday with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He played behind the plate but went 0-for-3 with a walk. He’s expected to play some part in Wednesday’s game and potentially serve as the designated hitter on Thursday.
Wells is expected to be more effective upon his return, having struggled with just one hit in his last 18 at-bats before hitting the injured list. His season OPS remains a dismal .533, among the lowest in the majors for players with significant at-bats.
Yankees’ catchers were having a rough time as well, with JC Escala and Ali Sanchez performing poorly. Escala managed to record two hits on Tuesday, but the overall performance was subpar. Additionally, Yasson Dominguez missed Tuesday’s lineup due to a recent tooth extraction.
Top prospect George Lombardo Jr. was removed from a game on Tuesday against SWB after appearing to injure his wrist while covering second base on a stolen base attempt. He had been on a hot streak with eight consecutive games hitting, including six doubles and two home runs.
Given the Yankees’ issues in the infield, there had been speculation he might be promoted to the Bronx this season.
Boone also noted that left-hander Max Fried has recovered from a left elbow contusion that kept him out since mid-May and reported feeling fine after pitching in the bullpen.
Fried is scheduled to return next month.
In a transaction update, first baseman Seth Brown was released from his minor league contract after playing 53 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Brown previously spent seven seasons with the Athletics.
