New York Yankees fans have found yet another delusion in a sea that never seems to end.
New York Yankees fans are an interesting bunch. Some are incredibly realistic, some are wildly negative and others vastly overrate their own players to the point where it becomes beyond laughable.
In terms of the latter, we are currently seeing that with Trent Grisham.
Yes, the same Grisham who was just in an 8-for-70 slump and is batting just .213 with a .699 OPS — while also playing poor center field defense — on the season as a whole.
The Yankees brought Grisham back on a $22 million qualifying offer after last year, when the former first-round pick smashed 34 home runs and posted an .811 OPS.
It's becoming more and more apparent that his 2025 campaign was a fluke, especially considering that he is a lifetime .217/.319/.399 hitter who batted under .200 three consecutive years between 2022 and 2024.
But because Grisham went 2-for-4 with a homer and a double in his most recent game, some New York fans are already back on the bandwagon.
Grisham is headed toward free agency again this coming winter, and the smart move would absolutely be to let him walk.
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham. Credit: Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.He isn't a great hitter. He is no longer a good defender. He doesn't provide value on the basepaths. He is good for the occasional home run and some walks. That's about it.
It's true that Grisham almost surely won't be getting $22 million from anyone this offseason, so he'll be a cheaper commodity this time around. Regardless, the Yankees should spend any money they would allocate to Grisham in other areas.
Like finding an upgrade at catcher or third base. Or potentially acquiring another late-inning relief pitcher to build a better bridge to David Bednar.
It's also important to remember that Jazz Chisholm is preparing to hit the open market, so New York will have to find a new second baseman, as well.
There is absolutely no reason to re-sign Grisham, especially considering that the Yanks could finally hand Spencer Jones the starting center field job next spring.
Of course, that will heavily depend on how Jones performs down the stretch here. He has shown flashes for sure, featuring a decent .178 ISO and an impressive 11.3 percent walk rate. But his .212/.301/.390 slash line is not wholly inspiring.
Regardless, there will be better options available to the Yankees than Grisham, and we need to stop pretending like his impending free agency will be some painstaking decision for the Bronx Bombers.
Barring an unbelievable turn of events over the next two months, Grisham will be a goner this winter, and New York will be better for it.
