The New York Yankees should already know what to do with Trent Grisham.
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham has not played since Sept. 4 due to a hamstring injury, which as resulted in Spencer Jones assuming starting center field duties, and Jones has certainly done an admirable job.
The rookie is slashing .248/.317/.442 with 11 home runs and 39 RBI over 269 plate appearances on the year. He also owns an .864 OPS over his last 30 games.
So what will the Yankees do come playoff time once Grisham returns?
Grisham is not expected to return during the regular season, but New York will almost certainly be activating him off the injured list for the postseason.
With Aaron Judge likely out for the Wild Card Series as he nurses a calf strain, placing Grisham on the roster won't cause as much of an outfield glut, but the question is whether or not the Yankees would re-insert Grisham back into the starting lineup.
Right now, Cody Bellinger, Jones and Heliot Ramos are manning the outfield. Jones absolutely, one hundred percent should keep a starting job regardless of what happens. So against left-handers, Grisham should absolutely sit.
But what happens when righties are on the mound?
Well, in that scenario, New York could shift Jones over to right field (where he had been playing before Grisham's injury) while putting Grisham back in center. Ramos can then head to the bench as a pinch hitter.
But one thing is for sure: Jones should be the Yankees' starting center field.
Grisham has not been good in 2026. He's had his streaky moments, sure, but overall, he is slashing .211/.308/.395 with 18 homers and 59 RBI while playing awful defense. It's a stark difference from 2025, when he smashed 34 long balls to go along with an .811 OPS.
Realistically speaking, last year was likely an outlier for Grisham, who is a lifetime .217 hitter with a .718 OPS. He was once a Gold Glove center fielder, which helped compensate for his disappointing offense, but it's clear that Grisham's elite defense has abandoned him.
The 29-year-old is slated to hit free agency again this offseason, and this time around, the Yankees are incredibly unlikely to bring him back.
Jones is the future in center field. Might as well get him accustomed to being the starter out there now, especially considering he has been better than Grisham with the opportunities he has been given this season.
Grisham was a pleasant surprise in the Bronx last year. Unfortunately for him, the honeymoon is over.
