Feb. 26: Grichuk will earn a $2.5MM base wage if he makes the Yankees’ roster, per Joel Sherman of the New York Put up.
Feb. 25: The Yankees are in settlement with veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk on a minor league contract, experiences Jack Curry of The Sure Community. The Paragon Sports activities Worldwide shopper shall be in camp as a non-roster invitee.
Joel Sherman of The New York Put up reported this week that the Yankees continued to search for a righty-hitting platoon bat. Grichuk matches the invoice with out commanding a assured roster spot. The 34-year-old will attempt to play his manner right into a spot on Aaron Boone’s bench throughout Spring Coaching. If he does, he’d take at-bats from Trent Grisham in opposition to left-handed pitching. Cody Bellinger is likely one of the greatest left-on-left hitters in MLB, so he’d play middle discipline with Grichuk drawing into the nook reverse Aaron Choose.
Grichuk isn’t coming off a terrific season. He’d hit at a league common degree for the Diamondbacks and was traded to the Royals on the deadline. His bat cratered in Kansas Metropolis, leaving him with a .228/.273/.401 slash line throughout 293 journeys to the plate. That included an underwhelming .227/.273/.430 mark in 183 plate appearances with the platoon benefit.
The 11-year MLB veteran had destroyed lefty pitching within the three previous seasons. Between 2022-24, he put up a .317/.367/.573 mark in opposition to southpaws. He related on 25 dwelling runs, 34 doubles and 4 triples in fewer than 500 plate appearances. He had the fifth-highest OPS in opposition to lefties over that stretch (min. 450 PAs).
That model of Grichuk would clearly be a superb piece to have off the bench. His strikeout charge in opposition to lefties climbed practically seven proportion factors a yr in the past, so there’s no assure he’ll get again to his 2022-24 type. He’s not going to get an enormous pattern of quick aspect platoon at-bats throughout Spring Coaching, leaving the Yankees with an attention-grabbing name in whether or not to have him spherical out their bench.
Jasson Domínguez already appeared more likely to start the season in Triple-A. If Grichuk makes the staff, that’s an inevitability barring a number of Spring Coaching accidents. It’d go away the Yankees with a really right-handed bench. Paul Goldschmidt and Amed Rosario are locks, leaving backup catcher J.C. Escarra as the one lefty bench bat in that situation. Oswaldo Cabrera would both begin the season in Triple-A or on the injured listing, whereas out-of-options Jorbit Vivas could be traded or positioned on waivers.
The Yankees in all probability want to hold Grichuk on the Opening Day roster to maintain him within the group. He’s an Article XX(b) free agent — a veteran who completed final season on an MLB roster. These gamers who signal non-roster invitations have three assured opt-out dates underneath the collective bargaining settlement: 5 days earlier than Opening Day, Might 1, and June 1. Grichuk can return to the open market on the finish of Spring Coaching if he doesn’t break camp with New York.
