Grisham accepts qualifying offer from Yankees

Trent Grisham is keeping his pinstripes.

The first significant question of the Yankees’ offseason was answered on Tuesday, as Grisham informed the club he would accept a qualifying offer, a one-year contract valued at $22.025 million.

The 29-year-old Grisham was one of four Major Leaguers to accept qualifying offers, along with the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga, Gleyber Torres of the Tigers and Brandon Woodruff of the Brewers. Nine players declined.

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Grisham was the only Yankee to receive the offer, which represented a significant raise over his $5 million salary this past season.

It represented a year filled with career bests for Grisham, who slashed .235/.348/.464 in 143 games this past season. He set new personal marks in hits (116), runs (87), homers (34), RBIs (74), slugging percentage, OPS (.812) and walks (82).

Acquired from the Padres as part of the December 2023 trade that fitted Juan Soto for pinstripes, it was a marked improvement for Grisham, who batted .190 over 76 games for New York in 2024.

“I think consistent at-bats help any player,” Grisham said during the season. “I would put most of it to the mental work that I’ve put in.”

Grisham’s return potentially solves part of the Yankees’ outfield for the ’26 campaign, with three-time Most Valuable Player Aaron Judge set to return in right field.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has said Grisham’s return would not impact the club’s pursuit of a reunion with free agent Cody Bellinger.

Cashman has said he will continue discussions with agent Scott Boras regarding Bellinger, who is believed to be one of the Yanks’ top targets.

The club also has Jasson Domínguez and No. 4 prospect Spencer Jones vying for roles in the outfield.

Jones was among three players added to the club’s 40-man roster on Tuesday, protecting him from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft along with right-handers Chase Hampton (No. 8 prospect) and Elmer Rodríguez (No. 3 prospect).

“With some other organizations, he would’ve been in the big leagues probably already last year,” Cashman said of Jones, who has been working out at Yankee Stadium to prepare for a spring opportunity at a starting job.

A National League Gold Glove Award winner in 2020 and ’22, Grisham is a career .218 hitter in 766 games for the Brewers (2019), Padres ('20-23), and Yankees ('24-25).

The Yankees believe Grisham’s 2025 performance is sustainable, as evidenced by Thursday’s offer.

“He had a hell of a year for us,” Cashman said before Tuesday’s decision was announced. “He was one of the big reasons why we had the level of success we did. We’d be happy if he accepted and came back.”