With Opening Day approaching, the New York Yankees appear to have the majority of their roster decisions made. But one intriguing late-camp storyline revolves around veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk, whose reputation for punishing left-handed pitching may give him a surprisingly strong chance of making the team.
According to MLB.com’s Paul Casella, the Yankees are evaluating Grichuk based on his résumé built over more than a decade in the majors, rather than his limited spring training numbers. Manager Aaron Boone made this clear when discussing the non-roster invitee.
“With him, it’s a lot of what’s on the back of the baseball card,” Boone said.
Grichuk arrived in camp late after signing a minor-league contract in late February, leaving him with just a few Grapefruit League at-bats. In most cases, this would make it difficult for a player to establish himself prior to Opening Day. However, the Yankees are evaluating him for a very specific role—one that does not require consistent production.
Yankees’ Roster Construction Creates an Opening
Aside from Judge, the Yankees’ projected starting outfield of Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Trent Grisham is heavily left-handed. This roster structure makes a right-handed bench bat who specializes in hitting lefties especially valuable.
Grichuk fits that description almost perfectly.
Over the last four seasons, as Casella wrote, the veteran outfielder has a .293/.342/.534 slash line against left-handed pitching, resulting in an.876 OPS. That figure is more than 200 points higher than his OPS against righties (.668) over the same period.
That type of split production is uncommon. In fact, MLB.com reported that only a few hitters have combined a .290 batting average and .525 slugging percentage against lefties over the last four years. The roster includes top players like Aaron Judge, Yordan Alvarez, Mookie Betts, Jose Altuve, Ketel Marte, Paul Goldschmidt, and Yandy Díaz.
Being mentioned alongside that company demonstrates exactly why the Yankees are interested.
Grichuk demonstrated that power recently, ripping a 112.6 mph line-drive double off left-hander Eric Lauer in Grapefruit League action. For a player vying for a roster spot, it was precisely the type of swing that demonstrates his worth in a platoon-heavy role.
More Than Just A Platoon Option
While the Yankees may initially view Grichuk as a situational weapon against left-handed pitching, his presence could provide manager Aaron Boone with more lineup options.
Grisham, for example, struggled against lefties last season, hitting only .182 with a .651 OPS. If this trend continues, Boone may occasionally start Grichuk and move Bellinger to center field.
The veteran could also be a dangerous late-game pinch-hitter against opposing left-handed relievers, a role that is often critical in close postseason games.
That strategic value likely explains why the Yankees pursued Grichuk at the trade deadline before signing him this spring.
For Grichuk, the Yankees’ appeal was equally clear. The veteran admitted there was a “clear path” to a roster spot and an obvious need for his skill set.
With less than two weeks until the season opener in San Francisco, Grichuk still needs to demonstrate his physical readiness after arriving late to camp. However, if the Yankees prioritize roster balance and matchup advantages, his record against left-handed pitching may make the decision easy.
Yankees Outfielder Emerging as Favorite for Final Roster Spot