Yesterday, the Yankees made a $22 million qualifying offer to Trent Grisham, making him the architect of their 2026 restructuring strategy.
Grish has until Nov. 22 to decide whether to accept or decline. If he says yes, the Yankee outfield will stabilize - maybe to the point of being clogged.
If Grisham takes the $22 million, one-year hookup, it lessens the likelihood of the Yankees signing either Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger, the two biggest free agent outfielders on the market. Owner Hal Steinbrenner - currently wondering if his SNAP benefits will return before Thanksgiving - won't want to shell out all his movie money on the outfield, especially when the bullpen and shortstop slots feature gaping holes.
Of course, Grish could say no. He's coming off a career year - by far - and he's still shy of 30. He might prompt a bidding war. Or maybe not. Sometimes, guys like him end up on March 15 without a stool in the bar or a place in the sun. Remember those years when he hit south of Mendoza? So do the GMs.
If the Yankees coax one more year out of Grisham, they will have effectively squeezed the juice from the cactus. And if he can pull off a solid follow-up season, he should be still young enough to win his dream contract next winter - (though baseball will be shutting down by then, so who knows how the market will look.)
The Yankees might be better off leaving left field to The Martian and/or Spencer Jones. And no law says Hal can't pony up the cash to sign Tucker or Bellinger; it's just his track record of finishing second in bidding wars, that's all.
If Grisham leaves, the Yankees will most likely receive a piddling fourth round draft pick, because of their bloated payroll. It's sad. They are hardly MLB's Apex Predator - (that's the Dodgers) - or even NYC's (the Mets.) But a draft pick is a draft pick, right? It can be Aaron Judge. It can be Andrew Brackman.
And by signaling their willingness to stick with Grisham, they're lessening the likelihood of a massive restructuring of the Yankee roster. They went to the mat this year against Toronto, missed by one stinking game. Apparently, they figure by standing pat, they'll contend again next fall, and - really - that's the objective, as the Canadians say, eh?
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6 comments:
"With the qualifying offer attached to him, Grisham could find a depressed market in free agency, but it could end up benefiting the Yankees. Suppose a team that’s paying the competitive balance tax signs Grisham in free agency. In that case, it must forfeit its second- and fifth-highest selections, as well as $1 million from its international bonus pool for the upcoming signing period. If a revenue-sharing team signs Grisham, it will forfeit its third-highest selection. If the Yankees wind up losing Grisham in free agency, they’ll receive a compensatory 2026 draft pick after the fourth round has been completed."
I Don't Know is on third.
“Owner Hal Steinbrenner - currently wondering if his SNAP benefits will return before Thanksgiving - won't want to shell out all his movie money on the outfield, especially when the bullpen and shortstop slots feature gaping holes”
Great, bigly turn of phrasing there, E.D. !
I do declare that Pal would be the first to tell the world that the 202(sux) Yankees are all set at shortstop, thank you very much, because young Volpe will be back and better than ever. Surgically renewed by the bestest that medical science can provide, little Tony will shock the world by returning to form.
Gosh, Golly aren’t we so fortunate to follow what turns out year after year to be the finest franchise in sports.
Suckitude
Don Mattingly is available; his contract as bench coach in Toronto ended. When asked if he would consider working for the Yankees again, he said he "just wants to just chill" right now.
Man, it'd be great if the Yankees fired Boone and hired Mattingly. Ain't never going to happen, of course, but one can dream.
Vlad the Impaler during the World Series made a lot of great defensive plays at first base. Some you couldn't even believe. I don't remember Vlad being that good defensively in the past. That's got to be from Mattingly working with him. Even turned a double play just like Mattingly used to do.
the obvious: 22M is waaaaay too much for a player of Grisham’s caliber.
Trent .230 Grishom. Oh boy!
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