Yankees Boost Bullpen, Offer Qualifying Deal to Trent Grisham
The New York Yankees made significant moves during the opening day of the free agency signing period. They opted to extend a qualifying offer of $22.025 million to center fielder Trent Grisham. This decision comes after Grisham’s standout season, where he hit a career-high 34 home runs. In contrast, reliever Devin Williams did not receive a qualifying offer and remains a free agent following an inconsistent year.
Yankees Bolster Their Roster
Alongside the qualifying offer, the Yankees added Kervin Castro, a promising 27-year-old right-handed pitcher, to their 40-man roster. Castro performed impressively for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in 2025. His standout statistics include a 1.35 ERA across 35 games and striking out 52 batters in 47 innings of work.
Castro’s Performance and Background
- Height: 6 feet
- Weight: 185 pounds
- Career Stats: 4.91 ERA in 20 big-league games (2021-2023)
- 2021 Highlights: 0.00 ERA in 10 games
- Teams: Giants (2021-2022) and Cubs (2022)
Despite his prior successes, Castro’s overall performance in the majors reveals room for improvement. He averaged a mid-90s fastball, supplemented by a curveball. This mix allowed him to exert significant pressure on opposing hitters during his minor league tenure.
Grisham’s deadline to respond to the qualifying offer is set for 4 p.m. EST on November 18. Accepting the offer would grant him a substantial raise to $17.025 million from his previous $5 million salary. If he declines, he enters free agency, with Spotrac estimating his market value at four years and $47.6 million.
Grisham’s 2025 Season Overview
- Games Played: 143
- Starting Positions: 124 games as center fielder
- Batting Average: .235
- Home Runs: 34
- RBIs: 74
- On-base Plus Slugging (OPS): .811
Grisham’s 2025 season stands in stark contrast to his previous one. Despite his offensive output, he struggled with a K rate of 23.6%, resulting in 137 strikeouts in 581 plate appearances. Additionally, his defensive statistics were rated below average, raising questions about his all-around value on the field.
As the free agency period unfolds, the Yankees are positioned to make more strategic moves to enhance their roster. More developments are expected as teams assess their needs ahead of the upcoming season.
