Prospect Spencer Jones is coming off a great season and will be added to the 40-man roster to avoid being exposed in the Rule 5 Draft. Although there’s upside and power in his bat, the Yankees are unlikely to hand him a starting spot. Too much variance in his projection to do so.
Bringing back Grisham, on a short-term deal, would allow the Yankees to buy some time before making a more “final” decision on their outfield. The Bellinger situation, or landing a bigger name than Grisham, could derail this possibility quickly.
My gut feeling is that Grisham is a plan B or C for the Yankees, but a plan they would still be satisfied, but not ecstatic, with. The Yankees need to boost their offense and I wonder if they think Grisham can continue to hit at the level he did in 2025.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are one of, if not the most, interesting teams this offseason. With a number of their own players hitting free agency, their list of decisions to be made is quite long. The need for a center fielder has been a discussion for a couple of seasons and although Harrison Bader was a great answer, he too has hit the open market.
Even if they bring back Bader, which they should, Grisham makes sense. Two players coming off above-average years, both of which have platooned in the past, could be the perfect blend of rolling the dice and also having insurance for one falling back to career norms.
Outfielder Nick Castellanos could be on his way out while Max Kepler is also hitting free agency. With so many moving parts in the outfield there’s a domino effect at play. Losing Kyle Schwarber also impacts the potential of this move.
