Yankees Must Replace Trent Grisham in Leadoff Spot: 3 Options to Supplant the Struggling Outfielder

One of the reasons why the New York Yankees' offense has sputtered so badly is the near-nonexistent production from the leadoff spot.

Because leadoff hitters naturally get the most plate appearances in the lineup, it's imperative to either get on base, put pressure on the opposing defense, or even carry the threat of hitting a home run. The Yankees have primarily used Trent Grisham in this role (although Paul Goldschmidt usually bats leadoff against left-handed starting pitchers), and it hasn't been working lately.

After registering a .740 OPS in 88 games as New York's leadoff hitter last year, Grisham's production from the top of the order has cratered. The 29-year-old is hitting just .184/.294/.324 with a 78 wRC+ in 65 games batting leadoff this season.

Grisham has great plate discipline, boasting a 13.6% walk rate batting leadoff with one of the lowest chase rates of any player in baseball. His .196 BABIP may also indicate some bad luck in a few at-bats. But the lefty's ongoing 8-for-70 slump is impossible to ignore, and the Yankees cannot afford to continue giving him the most at-bats in the lineup when he's rarely getting on base.

Trent Grisham when batting lead off this season:

.184/.294/.324 (.618 OPS)

You HAVE to try something else.
— ⚡️ (@yankeesvision) August 6, 2026

The issue with replacing Grisham is that nearly everyone in the Yankees' lineup is slumping at the moment. Nonetheless, there are a few players who have the tools to spark the top of the order, especially if they begin to heat up.

Ben Rice

Ben Rice is also in the middle of a bad slump, with only two hits in his last 29 at-bats. But given how great he's been for most of the season, plugging him into the leadoff spot could get him back on track.

Rice has hit leadoff in 15 games this year and produced an .805 OPS while swatting five homers. Although he only has a .214 batting average in that spot, Rice's .323 on-base percentage and 12.3% walk rate are more indicative of his skillset than a .206 BABIP.

A possible reason for Rice's slump could be that he's trying to do too much with the rest of his teammates failing to produce. By batting him leadoff, he could simplify his approach and focus on reaching base. Most pitchers are giving Rice fewer pitches to hit anyway, and it would certainly benefit the batters behind him if they had a runner on with no outs instead of one out.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Yes, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is in the middle of a very disappointing season and is currently in another slump. But out of everyone on the Yankees, he's by far the most dynamic option to bat leadoff.

Chisholm primarily batted leadoff during his time with the Marlins and hit .244/.303/.428 with 34 home runs and 45 stolen bases in 840 plate appearances. The on-base percentage leaves a bit to be desired, but the 28-year-old Chisholm has significantly improved his walk rate since becoming a Yankee, at roughly 9.9%.

With the speed and power Chisholm brings, it's baffling that the Yankees have only used him as their leadoff hitter once during his tenure (June 28 against the Red Sox). Chisholm currently leads the American League with 30 stolen bases despite his struggles this season, so if he were to bat leadoff, the Yankees would frequently have a runner in scoring position whenever he gets on base. This assumes that he finally finds consistency at the dish, but perhaps this change is exactly what he'd need.

Spencer Jones

This would be an extremely risky move, as Spencer Jones is still trying to adapt to the majors.

But the 25-year-old has the tools to be a threat at the top of the order. Beyond the game-changing power, Jones is very fleet-of-foot with a sprint speed of 29.0 fps, ranking in the 91st percentile among all major leaguers, per Baseball Savant. Additionally, Jones has drawn 12 walks in 120 major league plate appearances, amounting to a 10% walk rate.

Of course, Jones is still a work in progress due to his extreme tendency to strike out and chase pitches outside the strike zone. But when his plate discipline improves, batting him leadoff could be something to consider.

Who should bat leadoff?

Of the three options above, Chisholm is probably the best one due to his experience and the numerous ways he can impact a game. But there's no simple solution to the Yankees' leadoff problems right now, as all three of these options, including Chisholm, are struggling.

Regardless, experimenting with the leadoff spot is better than continuing to roll Trent Grisham out there. The Yankees can't afford to give away outs by giving the most at-bats to a player in an 8-for-70 spiral.

Can Grisham turn things around and return to being a productive leadoff hitter? Yes. But he needs to be moved lower in the lineup for the time being.

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