Sometimes the side dish turns out better than the main course. For the Yankees, that’s exactly what’s happening with Trent Grisham.
He arrived in 2024 as part of the blockbuster Juan Soto trade, a deal that sent the superstar to the Bronx and left Grisham tagged as a throw-in.
Fast forward to 2025, and Soto’s now starring across town for the Mets — while Grisham might be playing the best baseball of his life.
From afterthought to force in the lineup
No one expected Grisham to be anything more than a late-inning defensive replacement. He was known for his glove, not his bat.
But baseball loves rewriting scripts, and Grisham is swinging like he’s starring in one.
Through 39 games, the 28-year-old has smashed 12 home runs and slashed .267/.367/.592 — good for a 170 wRC+.
That makes him 70% better than the average hitter in Major League Baseball, and there’s no sign of slowing down.
His power surge has forced Aaron Boone to keep finding ways to get him in the lineup, even with Cody Bellinger heating up.
Small changes, massive results
Sometimes all it takes is a tweak. For Grisham, that tweak was opening his stance and unlocking more pull-side power.
The change has paid off — he ranks in the 94th percentile in barrel rate and the 100th percentile in chase rate.
He’s not swinging at bad pitches, and when he connects, he’s punishing the baseball. The quality of contact is undeniable.
His 1.4 WAR is already one of the highest totals of his career, and if he stays healthy, he could shatter his personal best.
The Yankees suddenly have too much talent
This is the kind of problem good teams love to have — too many mouths to feed, and no bad options to choose from.
Grisham’s emergence has allowed the Yankees to slot Aaron Judge at DH more often, keeping their MVP healthy for the long run.
Defensively, Grisham remains strong in the outfield and gives the Yankees much-needed flexibility on days when they want to rotate stars.
In a league where depth is gold and health is always uncertain, having a fourth outfielder hitting like a top-tier bat is priceless.
Contract year motivation makes him even more dangerous
Grisham is playing for a future — and the motivation is translating into production.
He’s set to become a free agent in 2026, and if he continues this pace, he’ll cash in on a multi-year deal that looked unlikely just a season ago.
For now, the Yankees are reaping the rewards of a player no one expected to blossom this way.
They may have lost Juan Soto, but they held onto something that’s proving just as valuable in the present.
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