Yankees May Have Major Hole at Premier Position Soon

Every year, the New York Yankees have one glaring need they take way too long to address. At the end of Brett Gardner's run, it was clear that left field needed to be filled. Try as they might, Joey Gallo and Alex Verdugo were not the answer, and now, with Cody Bellinger's pending departure, that can be an issue again.

Third base was last season's obligatory hole. Ryan McMahon eventually filled that. Jazz Chisholm Jr. held it down at third the season prior, but in 2025, his defensive metrics there took a dip.

It is hard to say whether McMahon's bat will come around, especially since he is north of 30, but his glove is undeniable. The world saw his impeccable catch into the dugout. It was reminiscent of days past when Charlie Hayes took his own tumble.

Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) makes a catch during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

In a world where the Yankees retain Bellinger or even use basic common sense as a team with the financial resources it has and sign Kyle Tucker, it is hard to find a hole on the Yankees' defensive roster. Even if Anthony Volpe flounders for now, they have Jose Caballero, who can hold down the position in the meantime.

The Next Hole to Fill

Of course, if one looks closely, there could be a brewing problem. It is one the Yankees may need to be sure up at some point, but has not been talked about much—that's center field.

At first glance, the answer is easy. There is Trent Grisham. Michael Kay may not feel he is a Nieman Marcus-caliber player, but he will most likely be a two- to three-win player by Fangraphs WAR. Herein lies the problem with Grisham, however. Those defensive metrics of his took a spill last season.

Aug 24, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (12) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

For the first time in Grisham's career, he was both a negative defender by Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average. He had a -11 DRS in center last year to go along with a -2 OAA. This is a player with a career DRS of 15 and an OAA of 31. The once-premier centerfielder in the league is now a bat-first option, which is a place Grisham has not been in much.

Then there is Bellinger. If the Yankees do retain Bellinger and make a swap with Grisham, leaving Bellinger in center, it still does not alleviate their issues. For all of the free agent's vaunted versatility, he had a -1 OAA and -3 DRS at center.

Options at Center

If the Yankees are honest with themselves, they should get ahead of this. Anybody who is paying attention, though, knows they are reactive more than they are proactive. One of Gardner's replacements in left field turned out to be Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Then, who can forget the Alex Verdugo experience in left field? They left him in there until the bitter end, to the point that he was the final out of the World Series.

Oct 29, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo (24) reacts after hitting a sacrifice RBI against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning during game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

How the Yankees eventually address this will be interesting, and a lot of it may depend on what happens with Bellinger this year. If they do sign Bellinger, they will ride with Grisham until the wheels fall off there, too. He is here for one more year, and it is unlikely that Grisham will be here beyond that. If he is good, they will not give him the multi-year deal he desires, and if he is bad, they will presumably let him go.

The options in centerfield if Bellinger does walk are not great. They can go with top prospect Spencer Jones. Though even with the best prospects, it is hard to count on them. He is a guy with immense power, but he also had 179 strikeouts in 116 minor league games last year.

Jasson Dominguez could be another name. The Yankees may not trust him, unfortunately, despite all the hype he has come with since he was a teenager.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is another option. He graded out well in center by OAA, but not DRS, while with the Marlins.

Apr 20, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Miami Marlins center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. catches a fly ball during the second inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Old friend Harrison Bader is still available. He had a paltry finish to his tenure with the Yankees, but his bat has come around in recent years. The issue is that he is better suited as a platoon bat.

It will be interesting to see what the Yankees do to figure this out, or whether they will go down the tried-and-true route. That is ignoring the problem until it becomes unsustainable.

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