There’s streaky, there’s hot, and then there’s what Trent Grisham is doing right now. The Yankees‘ fourth outfielder is making a legitimate case to stay in the lineup every day, and his production is simply too good to ignore.
Grisham Is More Than Just a Backup
Most teams dream of having a Gold Glove-caliber defender as a reserve. The Yankees are living it.
Grisham, a 28-year-old lefty with a glove like Velcro, was already known for his defense. But his bat has turned the volume all the way up to start the 2025 season. Over nine games and 30 plate appearances, Grisham is slashing .423/.500/.808 with three homers and nine RBIs.
That includes a 13.3% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. His wRC+ sits at 265, meaning he’s been 165% better than the average MLB hitter. He’s already piled up 0.6 WAR—more than he posted across 76 games last year.
When your backup outfielder is producing like an All-Star, you ride the wave.
The Yankees Are Adjusting Accordingly
Grisham added another hit and a run in Monday’s 6–2 loss to the Tigers, proving his bat’s still burning.
Manager Aaron Boone sat Jasson Dominguez to get Grisham more reps, and it’s clear the staff is comfortable shuffling pieces around to keep him active. With Aaron Judge sliding into the DH role occasionally and Ben Rice likely to sit against left-handed pitching, Grisham is earning starts against both lefties and righties.
On Tuesday, the Yankees face one of the best southpaws in baseball in Tarik Skubal, who has stumbled a bit out of the gate with seven earned runs over his first 10.2 innings. Grisham is hitting .412 against lefties this year with two homers and six RBIs—numbers that make it pretty hard to justify leaving him out, even in a lefty-on-lefty matchup.
Making the Most of His Moment
This isn’t just a hot streak—it’s a guy playing with urgency in a contract year, and it’s showing up in every at-bat. Grisham is making hard contact, seeing the ball well, and punishing pitchers who challenge him in the zone.
He’s not just filling in. He’s forcing his way into the Yankees’ plans.