A big reason why the New York Yankees find themselves comfortably in a wildcard spot is the play of veteran centerfielder Trent Grisham.
In what could be termed as a rather inconsistent season, consisting of injuries along with some long losing streaks, the one feel-good story has been the consistent play of 28-year-old Grisham, who, in his second season wearing the pinstripes, has mashed career bests in 30 home runs along with 64 RBIs.
Previously, Grisham’s career high for home runs came in 2022 when, as a member of the San Diego Padres, he hit 17 long balls. Meanwhile, Grisham’s previous best for RBI was a year earlier, when, with the Padres, he drove in 64 runs.
With just over 20 games remaining in the season, Grisham should end up with over 70 RBI and close to 40 home runs.
Trent Grisham Having the Best Season of His Career for the Yankees
Grisham Reaches 30 Home Run Mark and Puts Name in Franchise Record Book
On Thursday, September 4th, Grisham put his name into the Yankees record book when, during 8th inning play, he hit his 30th home run of the season and one hundredth of his career, which happened to be a three-run shot off Houston Astros reliever Kaleb Ort in an eventual 8-4 win at Daikin Park against the Astros.
This three-run blast, which travelled 404 feet, puts Grisham in exclusive company as he joins an exclusive list consisting of Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Bobby Murcer, Bernie Williams, Curtis Granderson, and Aaron Judge in becoming only the seventh Yankee centerfielder to ever hit 30 or more home runs.
Before this season, Grisham was known mainly for his glove. He came into the year as a two-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield who had a career .219 batting average.
Grisham Part of the Blockbuster Trade Between Padres and Yankees
Originally, Grisham was drafted in the 2015 1st round, 15th overall by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Grisham would make his MLB debut on August 1, 2019, where he went on to hit six home runs along with 24 RBIs and 36 hits in only 156 at-bats.
His tenure as a Brewer didn’t last long as he was traded on November 27, 2019, in a multi-player deal to the Padres.
The next few years in San Diego saw Grisham enjoy some moderate success, including winning the 2020 and 2022 NL outfield Gold Glove.
Coming off a season which saw Grisham hit .198 with 13 home runs and 50 RBIs, the Padres insisted that he be included as a throw-in for a deal which happened in December 2023, which saw Grisham along with another outfielder in Juan Soto get traded from the Padres to the Yankees in exchange for pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe and back up catcher Kyle Higashioka.
During his first year as a Yankee, Grisham was seen as a fourth outfielder and a defensive replacement late in games.
His first season wearing pin-stripes saw him hit only .190 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs.
To say that Grisham’s offensive production has been a major surprise would be a complete understatement. His popularity has grown, and once again, the Yankees wouldn’t even be holding down an American League wildcard position if not for the production of Grisham.
Grisham Set to Become a Free Agent This Winter
Grisham, who is affectionately known as ‘The Big Sleep,‘ is on a one-year $5 million contract, which, after the season, is due to expire.
“I’m doing everything I can to just really stay present with the team and continue the good year,” Grisham said. “I would be lying if I said it hasn’t crossed my mind, but every time it does, I really try to get back into the present.”
This off-season, Yankees management has some tough decisions on both Grisham and another star in unrestricted free agent Cody Bellinger, who will both have teams aggressively looking to sign them.
The good news regarding Grisham is that he enjoys playing for the Yankees and the New York vibe.
“I like this place a lot. I like the guys we have in the clubhouse. I like New York,” Grisham said. “There’s a lot of things I like about it, so we’ll see.”
No doubt, Grisham has this year been the team’s unsung hero. The Yankees will really have to loosen the purse strings if they plan on re-signing Grisham. Only time will tell.
Main Image: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
