This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Josh Kirshenbaum, a reporter/producer for MLB.com, contributed from Seattle.
Trent Grisham's job is simple, to a certain extent: Make manager Aaron Boone’s job difficult.
Entering the season envisioned as the fourth outfielder on the Yankees roster, there seemed to be plenty of at-bats for the 28-year-old, but maybe not consistent starts. He’d have to hit his way into the mix on a nightly basis.
That’s just what he’s done -- and then some -- in a start to the year that’s not only put Grisham in line for regular playing time, but could earn the first All-Star nod of his career.
“I’m having fun with the guys,” Grisham said recently. “I would say that, more than anything. The clubhouse is really good in here, led by Cap [Aaron Judge]. So I would say the guys have been the most enjoyable part.”
Grisham’s enjoyment continued in the Yankees’ series in Seattle, where he logged his fourth career multi-homer game in Monday’s opener. Now with 12 homers, he’s within striking distance of a career-high 17, back in ‘22 -- and he hit No. 12 that season on Aug. 2.
“What Trent’s done, coming in as probably the fourth outfielder, his at-bat quality and what he’s brought has been enormous for us,” Boone said.
Grisham, leading off for the 11th time this season, started his night in the third inning, sending an 87.2 mph Emerson Hancock offering out to dead center -- with a little help from Julio Rodríguez, who leapt at the wall in an attempt to make a highlight-reel catch but only tipped it over.
Coming back up to lead off the fifth, Grisham slammed a 93.8 mph fastball from just about the same location and sent it over the fence, going a Statcast-projected 412 feet at an exit velocity of 105.6 mph.
Grisham finished the night 3-for-6. He followed that with a 2-for-5 night on Tuesday, then went hitless with a walk in Wednesday’s 3-2 Yankees win -- although Rodríguez got some revenge with an amazing home run robbery. Grisham will arrive at Friday’s Subway Series with a .283/.367/.628 slash line.
So how is Grisham, a career .213 hitter entering this season, doing it?
“He’s just making great swing decisions,” Boone said. “Obviously, hitting with a ton of power, hitting the ball with authority. But it’s a good at-bat all the time. That’s what we’ve seen, really starting in Spring Training. His at-bats have been really consistent.”
Meanwhile, his contact rate on pitches in the strike zone this season is 87.7%, nearly 10 points higher than his combined rate from 2022-24.
All of that translates into a .995 OPS that ranks second on the Yankees, only behind Judge. His expected slugging percentage of .623 ranks seventh-best among all Major Leaguers, listed just behind names like Fernando Tatis Jr. (.630) and Freddie Freeman (.630). Grisham’s previous high was .482, back in 2020.
Sure, this makes Boone’s job more complicated, squeezing Grisham in alongside Cody Bellinger and Jasson Domínguez. The Yankees aren’t complaining.
Senior Reporter Bryan Hoch has covered the Yankees for MLB.com since 2007.