Yankees

Trent Grisham Could Be Done for the Season — Now It’s Spencer Jones’ Time

By ••4 min read
Trent Grisham Could Be Done for the Season — Now It’s Spencer Jones’ Time

AI Overview

Trent Grisham was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, and Aaron Boone said it is too early to know whether he will return before the regular season ends. Spencer Jones is expected to take over in center field, where he has hit .245/.317/.444 with nine home runs, 30 RBIs and nine stolen bases in 69 games. With the Yankees 81-61 and the Wild Card Series beginning September 29, Jones could have a chance to claim the position for October.

The Yankees may have just gotten the answer to their Spencer Jones problem.

It wasn’t the way anyone wanted it to happen.

Trent Grisham was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right hamstring strain after leaving Friday night’s 3-2, 10-inning loss to the San Diego Padres. And while the Yankees still need additional testing to determine exactly how serious the injury is, Aaron Boone admitted something that should get everyone’s attention.

It is too early to know if Grisham will even return before the end of the regular season.

And with the Yankees already in September, that means you have to start asking the uncomfortable question.

Could we have seen the last of Trent Grisham in 2026?

It’s certainly possible.

Grisham felt tightness in his right hamstring during a stolen-base attempt in the second inning Friday. He had walked against Walker Buehler, tried to take second and was thrown out. Then, in the bottom of the inning, he couldn’t get to a shallow RBI single by Xander Bogaerts.

That was the tell.

Grisham was removed before the third inning, Spencer Jones moved from right field to center and Heliot Ramos shifted to right.

And now Jones could have center field all to himself for the foreseeable future.

This is the opportunity Yankees fans have been asking for.

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Jones has already played 25 games in center field this season. He’s a former center-field prospect, he’s 6-foot-7, he’s athletic, he can run and, most importantly, the bat has started to come around.

That’s what makes this so interesting.

Because this isn’t simply about replacing an injured player.

This could be Spencer Jones’ chance to take the job.

Jones is hitting .245/.317/.444 with 9 home runs, 30 RBIs and 9 stolen bases in 69 games. Yes, the strikeouts are still there. Nobody is ignoring that. But look at what he’s doing right now.

Over his last 30 days, Jones is hitting .284/.347/.511.

Over his last seven games?

.368/.429/.737.

That’s not a guy you want sitting on the bench.

And then there’s his ridiculous production against left-handed pitching.

Jones, a left-handed hitter, has been crushing lefties this season. In a relatively small sample, he’s hitting roughly .368 to .400 against them with an on-base percentage around .442 to .467 and slugging around .632 to .675.

That’s an OPS north of 1.070.

Against lefties.

For a left-handed hitter.

That’s the kind of split that can make a manager rethink how he constructs his lineup.

Meanwhile, Grisham has struggled to put together consistent production since returning from his first hamstring injury. He’s batting .211 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs in 121 games, and his defense hasn’t looked like the same player the Yankees were counting on.

The speed has been noticeably reduced, too.

And now he’s dealing with another hamstring injury.

Boone has always valued what Grisham brings. His ability to get on base, his left-handed bat, his experience and his versatility made him the preferred option in center even while the Jones debate continued.

But Boone doesn’t have that choice right now.

Jones is going to play.

And here’s where this could get really interesting.

If Grisham returns after the minimum 10 days and Jones struggles, fine. The Yankees can go back to their original plan.

But what if Jones keeps hitting?

What if the Yankees suddenly have a 6-foot-7 center fielder with power, speed and the kind of athleticism they simply weren’t getting from Grisham?

What if Jones starts making the difficult plays look routine?

What if he keeps hitting lefties?

What if he hits enough against righties?

Then Boone has a problem.

And it’s a good problem to have.

Jasson Domínguez was recalled from Triple-A to replace Grisham on the roster, while Cody Bellinger can also provide innings in center. But Bellinger has been limited to left field after dealing with his own hamstring issue.

That leaves Jones as the obvious guy to take over.

And with the Yankees sitting at 81-61 and holding the top American League Wild Card spot, this isn’t happening in April.

It’s happening now.

The regular season is almost over. The Wild Card Series begins September 29.

So if Grisham’s injury ends up being serious enough to keep him out for the remainder of the season, the Yankees aren’t going to have time to wait around.

They’re going to need somebody.

And Spencer Jones is about to get the biggest opportunity of his young career.

The funny thing is, Yankees fans have been arguing about this for weeks.

Should Jones get more time in center?

Should Grisham continue to start because of his experience?

Should the Yankees trust Jones’ athleticism and upside?

Well, we may finally find out.

Grisham’s injury has potentially changed everything.

Because if Jones takes advantage of this, we’re not going to be talking about who should play center field anymore.

We’re going to be talking about whether the Yankees have found their center fielder for October.

Spencer Jones has the job now.

And if he starts playing like the player the Yankees believed they were getting when they drafted him, he might not give it back.

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