The Yankees have tendered the qualifying provide to Trent Grisham.
Grisham was considered one of 13 eligible free brokers to obtain the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying provide previous to Thursday’s 5 p.m. deadline. He was joined by Kyle Tucker (Cubs), Shota Imanaga (Cubs), Kyle Schwarber (Phillies), Ranger Suárez (Phillies), Dylan Stop (Padres), Michael King (Padres), Bo Bichette (Blue Jays), Framber Valdez (Astros), Edwin Díaz (Mets), Zac Gallen (Diamondbacks), Gleyber Torres (Tigers) and Brandon Woodruff (Brewers).
Devin Williams additionally had a case to obtain a qualifying provide from the Yankees, however the workforce determined in opposition to that after he endured a rocky first season in pinstripes.
Grisham and different recipients now have till Nov. 18 to simply accept or reject the QO. The Yankees will obtain draft decide compensation – a decide after the fourth spherical in 2026 – if Grisham rejects it and indicators elsewhere. If Grisham accepts the QO, he’ll get a big elevate, albeit just for a 12 months, after making $5 million in 2025.
He would additionally possible get to remain in a metropolis he’s loved, although the Yankees might nonetheless commerce him if he had been to simply accept the QO.
“I like this place a lot,” Grisham, who can nonetheless signal with the Yankees if he rejects the QO, stated in August. “I like the guys we have in the clubhouse. I like New York. There’s a lot of things I like about it, so we’ll see.”
That the Yankees prolonged Grisham the QO speaks to the strides he made this previous season, as he was a non-tender and commerce candidate final winter after barely taking part in in 2024. Grisham had a profession 12 months in 2025, although, belting 34 house runs to go together with an .811 OPS and 129 wRC+. The left-handed swinger, who turned the Yankees’ main leadoff man in opposition to righties, attributed his breakout to an improved psychological strategy, and the 29-year-old’s high quality of contact metrics counsel that he can stay a pressure on the plate shifting ahead.
Nonetheless, there are few causes the Yankees might not pursue a long-term cope with Grisham.
For one, his manufacturing this previous season was unprecedented, as he hit.191 with a .651 OPS and an 87 wRC+ from 2022-2024. Metrics additionally dinged his once-Gold Glove protection in middle in 2025 – he had -2 Outs Above Common – so a shift to the corners could also be within the slowing outfielder’s future.
Different suitors may also have to consider these components if Grisham seeks a multi-year deal.
The attachment of draft decide compensation may depress his market, although Grisham ought to nonetheless be capable to discover a multi-year deal given how weak the middle subject market is, particularly relating to offensive manufacturing.
If a aggressive stability tax-paying membership aside from the Yankees indicators Grisham in free company, it has to forfeit its second- and fifth-highest picks and $1 million from its worldwide bonus pool for the upcoming signing interval. A revenue-sharing workforce would give up its third-highest decide if it indicators Grisham.
Whereas Grisham has expressed an openness to staying with the Yankees, re-signing Cody Bellinger is extra possible and a high precedence for the workforce.
Bellinger can even play middle subject, although he grades out higher within the corners. Nonetheless, the Yankees have Aaron Decide in proper and contemplate the defensively subpar Jasson Domínguez higher off in left than middle.
“Certainly, we’d love to have him with our team moving forward, but we haven’t had any of those discussions,” Brian Cashman stated of Bellinger on Oct. 16.
If the Yankees don’t retain Grisham or Bellinger, their middle subject choices will likely be restricted. Different free brokers embody former Yankee Harrison Bader and Cedric Mullins. The White Sox might additionally make Luis Robert Jr. out there in a commerce after selecting up his $20 million choice for 2026, however he’s coming off two poor, injury-riddled seasons.
The Yankees even have top-100 prospect Spencer Jones. Ought to he stay within the group, he could have an opportunity to influence the large league membership subsequent 12 months after an explosive 2025 marketing campaign cut up between Double-A and Triple-A. There are nonetheless considerations about Jones’ excessive strikeout charges and lack of contact, although, so counting on him immediately would include dangers.
“He’s earned, without a doubt, the look in the competition, but again, it all depends on how many opportunities exist based on the decisions that come out of this winter,” Cashman stated of Jones final month. “But he’s put himself in a position to be considered a potential everyday major leaguer in 2026.”
