One of the Yankees’ biggest offseason decisions will be which free-agent outfielders to retain.
Aaron Judge is locked in, while youngsters Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones bring excitement but no guaranteed roles yet.
That leaves the question of whether New York will keep Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, or both.
Bellinger’s résumé and performance this year, particularly by WAR, give him the edge, though Grisham has reached 30 homers for the first time and is highly valued for his defense in center.
The likeliest scenario is the Yankees keeping just one, and on Tuesday, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter projected that Bellinger would be the one to stay.
Reuter also predicted Grisham could land with the Texas Rangers, a team positioned to compete with New York in the AL next season.
He noted that Joc Pederson is certain to exercise his $18.5 million option, limiting Texas’s offensive flexibility.
In his view, the Rangers might deploy Pederson and Jake Burger in a DH platoon, freeing them to upgrade at first base and letting Adolis García walk in favor of signing Grisham.
Cody Bellinger
While García remains under team control for one more year through arbitration, Texas would be taking a gamble by non-tendering him before securing a replacement.
Financially, though, it could make sense.
From the Yankees’ standpoint, offering Grisham a qualifying offer and recouping a draft pick if he signs elsewhere—whether with Texas or another club—seems like the obvious play.
