The New York Yankees never expected Trent Grisham to become an everyday contributor, let alone an early-season offensive anchor.
Yet for much of the first half, the 28-year-old lefty outfielder looked like he had found a new gear in the Bronx.
Grisham brought left-handed balance and surprising pop, posting a .239/.345/.462 slash line with a .807 OPS across 197 at-bats.
He’s already hit 13 home runs this season—on pace to smash his precious two seasons.
The cold streak that’s creeping in fast
But as quickly as his bat came alive, Grisham’s production is now starting to fade—and it’s becoming harder to ignore.
In the month of June, he’s slashing just .167/.318/.167 over 36 at-bats, offering no extra-base hits during that stretch.
He struck out twice in Saturday’s loss to the Boston Red Sox and failed to reach base over four plate appearances.
Grisham’s early power surge has flatlined, and the top of the Yankees’ order is feeling the effects as pressure builds.
Still disciplined, but the damage is drying up
One thing that hasn’t disappeared from Grisham’s game is his plate discipline, which remains one of his strongest tools.
He ranks in the 98th percentile in chase rate and 70th percentile in whiff rate, proving he knows how to control the zone.
He’s not giving away at-bats, but he’s also not making pitchers pay when he gets hittable pitches in the zone.
Think of it like a poker player who reads the table perfectly but keeps folding—eventually, the bluff only gets you so far.
Aaron Boone’s dilemma with the leadoff spot
Despite the recent slide, manager Aaron Boone continues to pencil Grisham in near the top of the order almost every night.
Boone is betting on the underlying stats to correct the surface-level struggles, but the Yankees can’t afford extended droughts.
If Grisham doesn’t snap out of this funk soon, Boone may be forced to shuffle the lineup and explore other combinations.
Especially with the team hitting a rough patch against Boston, lineup efficiency has become more important than ever in tight AL East matchups.
A critical point for Grisham and the Yankees
Grisham is still having one of his best offensive seasons, and a rebound could very well be around the corner.
But if this cold streak lingers much longer, it could undo all the goodwill he’s built since April.
The Yankees’ second straight loss to Boston stung a little extra, given how quiet the top of the lineup was again.
Grisham may still be one of this season’s most surprising stories, but now it’s on him to prove it wasn’t a fluke.
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