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Astros GM Dana Brown
For the second straight offseason, the New York Yankees have questions surrounding just how their outfield will play out for next season. Last offseason, they lost Juan Soto to the New York Mets. This winter, they could lose Cody Bellinger, leaving another hole in their outfield.
The Yankees have been predicted to land the top free agent outfielder, Kyle Tucker. Will GM Brian Cashman go all-in for him? There is another outfielder that Cashman has questions about, and that’s Trent Grisham. New York extended a $22.025 million qualifying offer to him.
After a strong 2025 season in the Bronx, his free agent ceiling is higher than it might ever be. He may choose to decline the qualifying offer and test the free agent market. If he does, one prediction has him landing with an American League West powerhouse.
Astros Predicted to Land Trent Grisham in Free Agency
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report predicted where their top 25 free agents will land this offseason. Grisham is the 17th-ranked free agent by the outlet. Kelly predicts he’ll be heading to the AL West and the Houston Astros.
In 2025, Grisham slashed .235/.348/.464 with a career-high 34 home runs and 74 runs driven in with an .811 OPS. Those numbers are a reason why his ceiling in free agency is high.
“Granted, having a QO attached to him will suppress his value to possible suitors a little. Grisham, though, is just a year removed from posting a .675 OPS over 76 games in his first season with the Yankees. He had never hit more than 17 home runs in a year until doubling that total in 2025. There’s a distinct possibility he will never have more bargaining power than he will this winter,” Kelly wrote.
Defensively, Grisham didn’t have the greatest year for the Yankees. It was, in fact, his worst defensive season in the majors, with a minus-11 defensive runs saved, as well as minus-two outs above average in center field.
“What’s perplexing when trying to evaluate him is that he had the worst defensive season of his career in 2025, posting minus-11 defensive runs saved and minus-two outs above average in center field. Mind you, this is someone who had 26 DRS and 33 OAA in his career prior to this season, with two Gold Glove Awards on his resume. Teams will have to evaluate why his defensive metrics dipped so much in 2025, because he’s obviously much more valuable as a center fielder than a corner outfielder,” added Kelly.
Trent Grisham Would Plug Multiple Needs For Houston
Grisham could be slotted into centerfield by Houston manager Joe Espada. If they are concerned about his defense, they could move him to a corner spot. Regardless, he would bring a left-handed thump to the Astros lineup that is badly needed.
Grisham has won a pair of Gold Gloves in his career, and if he hits the market, there could be other teams in the mix, according to Kelly. The Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Kansas City Royals were other teams mentioned.
Kelly predicted a three-year, $55 million deal for the 29-year-old Grisham in Houston. This is his shot to hit it big in free agency after a career year with the Yankees. What the Astros have to ask is, was it a season that Grisham can continue having, or was it a byproduct of playing at Yankee Stadium? We’ll see what teams think when he gets a new deal, wherever that may end up being.
Scott Roche Scott Roche covers college football and the NFL for Heavy.com and has three decades of sports writing, covering everything from college to professional sports. More about Scott Roche
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