5 Yankees Who May Have Just Played Their Final Games With the Team

The New York Yankees' season ended in all-too-familiar fashion, with their postseason opponent celebrating on their home field.

At this point in the Aaron Judge era, significant changes need to be made in order for the team to finally get over the hump. The possible introduction of a salary cap in 2027 could also force the Bronx Bombers to make those changes.

Regardless, having Judge out for the majority of the season forced the Yankees to rely on supporting pieces to pick up the slack. Ben Rice wound up being the only one, and other members of the supporting cast may end up being in different uniforms next year.

Here are five Yankees who may have played their final game in the Bronx.

Trent Grisham

This seems all but a given, as Grisham regressed significantly from his breakout 2025 season while Spencer Jones emerged as a promising piece for the Yankees' future.

From becoming a defensive liability to being possibly the worst leadoff hitter in MLB (.680 OPS batting leadoff this year), the decision to give Grisham the qualifying offer last offseason backfired spectacularly. And his tenure in pinstripes seemed to come to a fitting end.

Aaron Boone inexplicably chose to bat Grisham leadoff in the do-or-die Game 3. The 29-year-old responded by going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts—including making the final out of the game with Rice on deck and the tying run in scoring position.

Yankees season ends after Trent Grisham watches a pitch he should have challenged and then swings at one in the other batter's box pic.twitter.com/li2hxSMjtr
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 8, 2026

With Jones likely to be an everyday player next season, moving on from Grisham is one of the easiest decisions for the Yankees to make during the offseason.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

This is another one that wouldn't be surprising. While Jazz Chisholm Jr. has more offensive upside than Grisham and clearly expressed his desire to stay in the Bronx during postgame interviews, it's unlikely that the feeling is mutual.

"I love it as a Yankee. I grew up as a Yankee fan... Who doesn't want to stay with a team you've had such great times with? To see it maybe end here sucks."

- Jazz Chisholm Jr. following New York's ALDS loss pic.twitter.com/imxKtEY6nE
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 8, 2026

Chisholm's 2026 season was a massive disappointment, as he went from a 30-30 season in 2025 to logging a mediocre .711 OPS this year. He also struck out at an alarming 29.5% rate.

Not helping Chisholm's case are his October struggles. He was both a non-factor at the plate and sloppy in the field, with his throwing error in Game 2 being part of the Yankees' ghastly four-error performance. It was very uncharacteristic for the rangy second baseman, who just couldn't find any sort of consistency in his contract year.

There is a case to keep Chisholm around, as the talent is clearly there and he could be open to taking the qualifying offer or a short-term deal to prove his value. But with Anthony Volpe's encouraging finish to the year and his successful move to second base, the Yankees probably don't see Chisholm as part of their future plans.

Paul Goldschmidt

Even at 39 years old, Paul Goldschmidt expressed his hope to continue playing next year. Unfortunately, that probably wouldn't be in the Bronx.

Paul Goldschmidt says he hopes to "continue playing" next season pic.twitter.com/BZ3co94Uuk
— SNY Yankees (@snyyankees) October 8, 2026

In defense of Goldschmidt, he was fairly productive as a whole by hitting .252/.313/.452 with a 111 wRC+ in 2026 and remained an asset against left-handed pitching. But his numbers did taper off in the middle of the season, as he was in the starting lineup far more than originally anticipated due to how many injuries the Yankees dealt with.

Now, the Yankees have Luis Garcia Jr. to play first base in addition to Rice. Granted, both are left-handed bats and it would be useful to have Goldschmidt as a platoon option, but it's not clear if he wants to be in that role again. Leaving the Bronx would allow Goldschmidt to see more time as an everyday player.

Giancarlo Stanton

This is a tricky scenario as Giancarlo Stanton is still under contract for the 2027 season. But it's worth wondering if the 36-year-old's Bronx tenure is nearing its end because of the Yankees' logjam at DH.

With Stanton missing the vast majority of the 2026 season and the addition of Garcia at the trade deadline, Ben Rice became the Bronx Bombers' everyday DH moving forward and thrived in that role. Meanwhile, Aaron Judge's own injury-riddled season may result in him seeing more time at DH compared to right field to keep him healthy. As for Stanton, he's strictly a DH even when healthy due to chronic leg injuries robbing him of the necessary mobility to play the field.

The Yankees would love to get a healthy Stanton in 2027, as it's impossible to ignore his prodigious power and the impact he brings to the lineup. However, there's no place to utilize him in the Yankees' batting order as currently constructed, and it's foolish to have a player the Yankees owe $15 million on the bench.

Regardless, the Yankees can decline Stanton's $25 million option for 2028 with a $10 million buyout, so the 2027 season would likely be his last one in the Bronx anyway.

Ryan McMahon

Of the players listed here, Ryan McMahon was the only one who didn't appear in Wednesday's game. And that may provide even more reason why his days in the Bronx are numbered.

McMahon has provided little to no offensive production since the Yankees acquired him, while his defense at third base has left much to be desired, especially this year. In fact, it was his error in the first inning of Game 2 of the ALDS that set the tone for New York's ineptitude in the field that night.

Ryan McMahon with an egregious error at third base to start Game 2 in Tampa Bay pic.twitter.com/MyLDIHalB2
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 6, 2026

The Yankees still owe McMahon $16 million for the 2027 season, so they'd probably look to dump his contract in a trade. However, his value has never been lower and it seems far more likely that the Yankees eat the money and designate him for assignment.

Third base is an area of weakness for the Yankees, and McMahon hasn't come anywhere close to being a solution.

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