Trent Grisham gets qualifying offer, Yankees add bullpen arm to roster on 1st day of free agency
The Yankees’ big moves on the first day of the free agency signing period were their $22.025 million qualifying offer decisions on two of their free agents, center fielder Trent Grisham and reliever Devin Williams.
Grisham was tendered a contract for 2026 on the heels of a career-best 34-homer campaign while Williams was not and remained a free agent following an inconsistent first season with the Yankees.
Also, the Yankees added veteran right-hander Kervin Castro, their best Triple-A reliever in 2025, to the 40-man roster.
Castro, 27, had a 1.35 ERA pitching in a staff-high 35 games for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2025. Throwing mostly mid-90s four-seamers and curves, the Maracay, Venezuela native struck out 52 and walked 22 pitching 47 innings.
The 6-foot, 185 pounder has a 4.91 ERA in 20 games of big-league experience over three seasons with the Giants (2021-22) and Cubs (2022). In ’21, he had a 0.00 ERA in 10 games, allowing one unearned run in 13.1 innings.
With Castro on the Yankees’ 40, they still have five open spots after their free agents came off the roster and the 60-day injured list players were re-added.
Grisham has until 4 p.m., EST on Nov. 18 to accept the qualifying offer and remain a Yankee with a $17.025 raise from his $5 million 2024 salary.
If Grisham rejects the offer, he’ll see what he can get as a free agent. Spotrac projects his value at four years for $47.6 million.
Grisham, who turned 29, followed a poor first season with the Yankees in 2024 with a career-best 2025. In 143 games, 124 as a starter in center field, Grisham hit .235 with 34 homers, 74 RBI and an .811 OPS usually hitting leadoff. However, his 137 strikeouts in 581 plate appearances is a high 23.6 K rate and his defensive metrics were below average.
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