Brian Cashman, New York Yankees general manager, reiterated that Trent Grisham's return on a $22.025 million salary will not deter the team from pursuing Cody Bellinger as a free agent. The move comes after Grisham accepted his qualifying offer, which was seen as somewhat of a surprise externally.
Cashman stated that he still has financial flexibility to pursue other players and emphasized that Bellinger is an obvious target for re-signing. However, Cashman cautioned that the team will not disclose its plans or budget for the offseason, adding that "we're not going to tip our hands on going hard for anybody."
The Yankees believe that Grisham's breakout performance this season, which included 34 home runs with a .811 OPS, is sustainable and view it as evidence that he can maintain his level of production. Cashman acknowledged that the 29-year-old center fielder likely would have had to wait for other free agents like Kyle Tucker and Bellinger to sign before coming back to New York.
The team's decision to bring Grisham back at a higher salary, which brings their projected 2026 luxury tax payroll to $281 million, is seen as a gamble given his recent history of struggling at the plate. Nevertheless, Cashman expressed confidence in Grisham's ability to continue producing and credited him with answering questions about his performance throughout the season.
Cashman emphasized that the Yankees will engage with other players and their agents to determine the cost of acquiring them and assess how it would fit within the team's budget. The general manager's comments suggest that the Yankees are committed to making a strong push for Bellinger, despite some uncertainty surrounding their ability to sustain high payroll without going over the $300 million mark.
Cashman stated that he still has financial flexibility to pursue other players and emphasized that Bellinger is an obvious target for re-signing. However, Cashman cautioned that the team will not disclose its plans or budget for the offseason, adding that "we're not going to tip our hands on going hard for anybody."
The Yankees believe that Grisham's breakout performance this season, which included 34 home runs with a .811 OPS, is sustainable and view it as evidence that he can maintain his level of production. Cashman acknowledged that the 29-year-old center fielder likely would have had to wait for other free agents like Kyle Tucker and Bellinger to sign before coming back to New York.
The team's decision to bring Grisham back at a higher salary, which brings their projected 2026 luxury tax payroll to $281 million, is seen as a gamble given his recent history of struggling at the plate. Nevertheless, Cashman expressed confidence in Grisham's ability to continue producing and credited him with answering questions about his performance throughout the season.
Cashman emphasized that the Yankees will engage with other players and their agents to determine the cost of acquiring them and assess how it would fit within the team's budget. The general manager's comments suggest that the Yankees are committed to making a strong push for Bellinger, despite some uncertainty surrounding their ability to sustain high payroll without going over the $300 million mark.
they're playing it cool and saying they've got financial flexibility, but clearly they're all in on Cody Bellinger 
and that 22M salary is just a tiny drop in the bucket compared to what Bellinger's going to want 
I mean, Grisham had a solid season but the Yanks are taking a chance on him and it's gonna be interesting to see how it all plays out 
Are they just trying to send a message or something?
, but he's also been struggling at the plate in the past 
. It's like, they're putting their trust in him to come back strong again 
. And yeah, I guess it's not too bad since they only paid him 22 mil 
.
, but at the same time, it's like, come on guys, be honest for once 
, though. If they can pull this off and bring Bellinger back, that'd be sick 
!
. It's all about confidence and trust, right? Can you really know someone is going to perform like that 100% of the time? Maybe not, but you gotta be willing to take that gamble and see how it pays off 
. And on a bigger note, it's a reminder that sometimes the best moves aren't always easy or straightforward - you gotta weigh the pros and cons, make some tough decisions, and hope everything works out in the end 
anyway, gotta give credit to cashman for saying they'll definitely pursue bellinger tho 
. And now they're going after Bellinger too? That's a big gamble 
And still, I think it's cool that they're being upfront about not wanting to reveal their plans 
. Guess you'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out 
and bellinger is def a top target for re-signing, but i gotta wonder if they're tryin to overpay 
but idk man, im actually kinda hyped about it? bellinger would be a game changer for this team and i think cashman's gamble might just pay off 
.
. But, if anyone can deliver, it's Grisham - he showed remarkable resilience throughout the season and answered all questions honestly 
️. The fact that they're keeping mum on their plans and budget for the offseason is wise, as you never know what's going to happen in free agency 
they're throwing some heat on grisham with that $22m salary but at the same time he's still got a history of slumping at the plate so it's like... are they really counting on him to stay healthy and hit 34 homers again? 
. And now they're saying they still want Cody Bellinger, but won't say how much they're willing to spend on him? Like, what's the point of even having a salary cap if you just gonna keep throwing money at it 
. I mean, I guess he did come back and do okay this season, but that doesn't exactly scream "sustainable production" 
, but 281 mil projected payroll? That's some heavy sauce 
, fingers crossed they can snag him without breaking the bank 
Can you imagine the team's accountant having a heart attack every time they sign someone new? 
. Cody Bellinger is still a priority, I get it, but you'd think the Yankees would want to make sure Grisham's not gonna break out in flames again 
I think the Yanks made a solid move by bringing back Grisham, but it's still gonna be hard to beat Cody Bellinger 
That's some next-level stuff right there!
.
. Like, priorities, dude.