SerpApi.Org
Although the New York Yankees have struggled over the past month, they are shaping up to be one of the most notable buyers ahead of MLB's trade deadline on August 3.
In fact, the Yankees are so prepared to go all-in that they may use two of their most notable assets as trade chips: outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones. This is a surprising development, as the Bronx Bombers have viewed both as future starters in their outfield and perhaps the successors to Aaron Judge as he enters his later career.
Dominguez in particular was prepared to be a full-time starter last year alongside Judge and Cody Bellinger, but was usurped by Trent Grisham, who enjoyed a breakout season and accepted the qualifying offer to return to the Bronx last winter. With Grisham still the everyday center fielder and the recent report about Dominguez and Jones, the Yankees may have indicated that Grisham is part of their future plans.
Will the Yankees Keep Trent Grisham After 2026?
Grisham, 29, was set to become a free agent after his breakout 2025 season but chose to accept the one-year qualifying offer of $22 million. The outfielder bet on himself to duplicate that season, and while the numbers haven't been as good, it's become clear that 2025 was not a fluke.
Last year, Grisham set career-bests by bashing 34 home runs with an .811 OPS and 129 wRC+. This season, despite a slow start and a stint on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, the lefty has continued to produce with 14 doubles, 11 home runs, a .751 OPS and 112 wRC+.
The underlying data further supports Grisham's evolution as a hitter. According to Statcast, he has an average exit velocity of 91.2 mph (82nd percentile among all qualified MLB hitters), a hard-hit rate of 47.5% (82nd percentile) and a barrel rate of 11.3% (72nd percentile).
In addition to consistently making hard contact, Grisham is making fantastic swing decisions. His chase and whiff rates are both 16.7% and rank in the 100th and 87th percentiles, respectively. As a result, Grisham has one of the best walk rates in MLB (13.6%, 91st percentile) while being surprisingly difficult to strike out (16.5%, 76th percentile). With such a great approach to hitting, it's shocking that Grisham's overall numbers aren't much better than they currently are.
Although his defense has taken a step back in recent years and his baserunning has been poor (notably exploited by the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend in a play at the plate), players with elite strike zone recognition and plate discipline tend to age well over the course of a long-term contract. As such, the Yankees may be planning to re-sign Grisham at some point if the reports on Dominguez and Jones are any indication.
Grisham will be a free agent after this season, and will be ineligible to have the qualifying offer attached to him again. But if the Yankees are comfortable moving their outfield successors at the trade deadline, then there's a legitimate possibility that Grisham remains in pinstripes after 2026.
