It’s a tough time to be a Yankees outfielder, or in the case of Giancarlo Stanton, outfield-adjacent. The big guy has been out for almost a month now with a right calf strain that he’s (unsurprisingly) been slow to recover to from, and he hasn’t been cleared for the next step yet. Granted an opportunity to fill in, Jasson Domínguez looked good at the plate, but a nasty collision with the left-field scoreboard at Yankee Stadium has him on the shelf with a shoulder sprain. Rookie Spencer Jones has not hit much at all in the Martian’s absence, but he now might have to keep filling in because of what happened to Trent Grisham during last night’s loss.
Grisham grabbed at his leg as he reached second base while hustling on a pop-fly double that the Blue Jays couldn’t handle. He stayed in the game, but a couple innings later, Jones replaced him in center field. The Yankees announced an initial diagnosis of “left knee discomfort,” and he will undergoing imaging today to get a better read on the situation.
Grisham was hobbled by leg problems that affected his defense last year, and it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Yankees play it safe by keeping him out for at least a short IL stint (though the potential severity of the knee problem could absolutely make it a longer stay). The question then becomes what the Yankees’ offense will look like with Grisham out of the picture.
Although it’s possible that the Yankees could try some other roster move, the most likely outcome at the moment would seem to be having Grisham and José Caballero swap places on the IL tomorrow. That’s when Caballero is due to return from his finger fracture, and Anthony Volpe has seemingly earned a chance to stick around. The Yankees probably won’t make a roster move for Grisham going to the IL prior to today’s game because it would likely be a one-game substitution. Jones might need more seasoning, but if Grisham’s going on the IL, then there’s an additional need for his glove in center.
So how would you gameplan the Yankees’ lineup with Grisham out? Acknowledging that there might be platoons in some form or another—Ryan McMahona and Amed Rosario will still get time, as well J.C. Escarra with Austin Wells mired in a slump—and multiple iterations of the starting nine to grant playing time to more players, here is one that could be the most common one we see for the next little while. It’s not necesarily one that I would have 100-percent confidence in, but the one that I at least somewhat expect. (Keep in mind that I am doing this off the cuff and am a little sleep-deprived because my son hasn’t been sleeping well.)
DH Ben Rice
RF Aaron Judge
LF Cody Bellinger
2B Jazz Chisholm Jr.
3B José Caballero
1B Paul Goldschmidt
SS Anthony Volpe
C Austin Wells
CF Spencer Jones
What’s your preferred lineup right now?
Today on the site, Peter will break down his Sequence of the Week, Madison will tackle the Rivalry Roundup, and Jeff will salute a savvy Yankees signing from last decade on the occasion of his 41st birthday. John will also open the history books and discusses the time when—as he puts it—“a home run wasn’t a home run.” Andrés and Sam will close us out, as the former explores the resurgent Paul Goldschmidt’s hot start and the latter raises a warning flag on Ryan McMahon that has made his struggles at the plate even more pronounced.
New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays
Video: YES Network, Sportsnet One, MLB Network
Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
