Brian Cashman insists Trent Grisham’s return won’t preclude Yankees from Cody Bellinger pursuit

Brian Cashman, New York Yankees general manager, reiterated that Trent Grisham's return on a $22.025 million salary will not deter the team from pursuing Cody Bellinger as a free agent. The move comes after Grisham accepted his qualifying offer, which was seen as somewhat of a surprise externally.

Cashman stated that he still has financial flexibility to pursue other players and emphasized that Bellinger is an obvious target for re-signing. However, Cashman cautioned that the team will not disclose its plans or budget for the offseason, adding that "we're not going to tip our hands on going hard for anybody."

The Yankees believe that Grisham's breakout performance this season, which included 34 home runs with a .811 OPS, is sustainable and view it as evidence that he can maintain his level of production. Cashman acknowledged that the 29-year-old center fielder likely would have had to wait for other free agents like Kyle Tucker and Bellinger to sign before coming back to New York.

The team's decision to bring Grisham back at a higher salary, which brings their projected 2026 luxury tax payroll to $281 million, is seen as a gamble given his recent history of struggling at the plate. Nevertheless, Cashman expressed confidence in Grisham's ability to continue producing and credited him with answering questions about his performance throughout the season.

Cashman emphasized that the Yankees will engage with other players and their agents to determine the cost of acquiring them and assess how it would fit within the team's budget. The general manager's comments suggest that the Yankees are committed to making a strong push for Bellinger, despite some uncertainty surrounding their ability to sustain high payroll without going over the $300 million mark.

omg I'm low-key loving this move by the Yankees!!! they're playing it cool and saying they've got financial flexibility, but clearly they're all in on Cody Bellinger and that 22M salary is just a tiny drop in the bucket compared to what Bellinger's going to want I mean, Grisham had a solid season but the Yanks are taking a chance on him and it's gonna be interesting to see how it all plays out

I'm so stoked about this news but also kinda worried at the same time . Like, Brian Cashman is trying to say that they're still gonna go after Cody Bellinger even though they brought back Trent Grisham for 22 mil . It's like, what's up with that? Are they just trying to send a message or something?

I mean, I get it, Grisham had a sick season and all , but he's also been struggling at the plate in the past . It's like, they're putting their trust in him to come back strong again . And yeah, I guess it's not too bad since they only paid him 22 mil .

But what really gets me is that Cashman said they'll still engage with other players and try to figure out how much Bellinger will cost . Like, I get it, you don't wanna give away your secrets , but at the same time, it's like, come on guys, be honest for once .

I'm actually kinda rooting for them , though. If they can pull this off and bring Bellinger back, that'd be sick !

Man, this is like when you're trying to balance your own finances and know you gotta make sacrifices sometimes . Grisham's comeback is like that one friend who just got back on track after hitting rock bottom - you believe in 'em, but also gotta question the plan . The Yankees are taking a risk by bringing him back at such a high salary, but it's clear they think he can do it again . It's all about confidence and trust, right? Can you really know someone is going to perform like that 100% of the time? Maybe not, but you gotta be willing to take that gamble and see how it pays off . And on a bigger note, it's a reminder that sometimes the best moves aren't always easy or straightforward - you gotta weigh the pros and cons, make some tough decisions, and hope everything works out in the end .

I'm not sure what's more surprising, Grisham accepting his qualifying offer or Cashman being open about wanting to re-sign Bellinger Anyway, I think it's interesting that they're willing to take a gamble on Grisham, who has had some ups and downs in the past. Like, if he can really sustain his .811 OPS from this season, that's awesome! But we know that baseball is unpredictable, so let's see how it all plays out As for Bellinger, I think it'll be cool to see what happens with him - he's definitely a talented player. Fingers crossed the Yanks can pull off a big signing without breaking the bank

I'm not sure I buy this story . Grisham has always been a bit of a wild card at the plate and now they're paying him almost $1M per homer? It's like throwing money at a problem instead of addressing the underlying issues. And what about their projected luxury tax payroll for 2026? That's a lot of cash to shell out for one player, especially when you consider they've got other solid players on the roster like Judge and Stanton.

idk why ppl think cashman is crazy 4 bringing back grisham at 22 mil, considering he had a pretty rough season last year . but i guess it's good they're keeping him if they think his numbers are sustainable... or maybe they just really like him? anyway, gotta give credit to cashman for saying they'll definitely pursue bellinger tho , that's the kind of transparency we need from teams!

I don't get why they're trying to bring back Grisham at such a high salary . I mean, he's had some good games this year, but his numbers are still kinda sketchy . And now they're going after Bellinger too? That's a big gamble . The Yanks have a lot of money coming in from TV contracts and stuff, so why can't they just splurge on someone like Bellinger for once? They're saying Grisham is gonna stick around and hit 30 homers again, but what if he tanks next year? And still, I think it's cool that they're being upfront about not wanting to reveal their plans . Guess you'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out

omg u guys i think cashman is low-key crazy lol the yanks are willin to gamble on grisham again after his struggles last year but i get why they wanna keep him since he had that insane breakout season and bellinger is def a top target for re-signing, but i gotta wonder if they're tryin to overpay those luxury tax numbers are already gettin crazy like $281m in 2026?! i guess we'll just have to wait & see how it all plays out

omg I cant even believe what im reading!!! so theyre gonna pursue bellinger with all their might and Grisham's return is just icing on the cake lol like what was Cashman thinking?!? $22 mil for grisham?? its crazy! and now the yanks are basically throwing caution to the wind with that 281 million payroll projection but idk man, im actually kinda hyped about it? bellinger would be a game changer for this team and i think cashman's gamble might just pay off

The Yankees' willingness to re-sign Trent Grisham amidst Cody Bellinger being courted as a free agent is quite intriguing . On one hand, Grisham's impressive stats this season are a testament to his capabilities and suggest that he can sustain a high level of production . However, his recent struggles at the plate raise some questions about his consistency .

It seems like Cashman is taking a gamble on Grisham by increasing his salary, which will undoubtedly impact their luxury tax payroll . But, if anyone can deliver, it's Grisham - he showed remarkable resilience throughout the season and answered all questions honestly ️. The fact that they're keeping mum on their plans and budget for the offseason is wise, as you never know what's going to happen in free agency . Overall, I think this move is a calculated risk that could pay off in the long run

gotta think brian cashman's being super sneaky here they're throwing some heat on grisham with that $22m salary but at the same time he's still got a history of slumping at the plate so it's like... are they really counting on him to stay healthy and hit 34 homers again? also, cashman's not giving away their hand about bellinger's budget, which is fair i guess. but you can tell he's all in on getting bellinger back, which is great for the yanks' fans

I'm so done with this offseason already . So the Yanks think they can just throw around $22M at Trent Grisham and expect him to keep slugging like that? Newsflash: it's a lot of money for one guy, even if he did have a breakout season . And now they're saying they still want Cody Bellinger, but won't say how much they're willing to spend on him? Like, what's the point of even having a salary cap if you just gonna keep throwing money at it ? And don't even get me started on Grisham's "history" . I mean, I guess he did come back and do okay this season, but that doesn't exactly scream "sustainable production" . Anyone else tired of the Yankees' offseason antics?

Grisham getting paid like a superstar lol, 22 mil is crazy! I mean, I guess it's not surprising he's worth it after those 34 homers tho , but 281 mil projected payroll? That's some heavy sauce . Can't blame the Yanks for wanting to bring him back though, who wouldn't wanna have that bat in the lineup? But Cody Bellinger is like the holy grail of free agents right now , fingers crossed they can snag him without breaking the bank ... or their heads .

Man, 281 million is like a small country's GDP, lol! Can you imagine the team's accountant having a heart attack every time they sign someone new? Anyway, I gotta ask, what's up with Grisham's salary hike? Like, does he have a personal trainer who only works on weekends? Just kidding, but for real, it's a big number, especially considering his recent struggles. But hey, the Yanks are willing to take that risk if they think he can bring home 34 homers and all that jazz . Cody Bellinger is still a priority, I get it, but you'd think the Yankees would want to make sure Grisham's not gonna break out in flames again . Guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out... and hopefully not too many financial meltdowns

Hmm I think its funny they're trying to make a big deal about re-signing Trent Grisham first . Like he had this amazing season and all but Grisham's been struggling at the plate in the past and we dont no if he can keep that up. Meanwhile Cody Bellinger is still out there and has like 100 home runs under his belt . I'm low-key worried they're gonna overspend on Grisham and not have enough left for Bellinger. The Yankees always say they got financial flexibility but let's see how it plays out this offseason .

omg u guys i just cant even right now i mean ive been following grishams journey since like 2018 and im still on board with him being a yankee lol idk what everyone else is talking about he had a hot season this year but last yr wasnt so great that being said cashman makes some good points about grisham being sustainable but i'm still worried about the $22mil salary its like they're trying to spread themselves thin for bellinger lol what if they cant even afford it

Think Cashman's trying to lowkey tell us he's broke

OMG, I'm so down for this offseason already! I think the Yanks made a solid move by bringing back Grisham, but it's still gonna be hard to beat Cody Bellinger . The way he's been slaying on the mound is insane ! 34 home runs with .811 OPS? That's some next-level stuff right there!

But for real though, I'm curious to see how this all plays out. Will they be able to pull off a Bellinger reunion without breaking the bank ? It's gonna be super interesting to watch their negotiations go down .

I do think Grisham's breakout season is a legit indicator of his ability to perform at that level, so I'm not too worried about him carrying the team on his own . And Cashman's right, they gotta stay under the radar and keep their plans close to the vest .

I'm still trying to figure out this whole fantasy baseball thing . I mean, how do teams decide who's worth investing in? Like, what if Grisham has another bad season and he's sitting on the bench again . Don't get me wrong, 34 home runs is sick, but at $22M, that's a pretty steep price to pay for uncertainty.

And have you seen those new baseballs they're using now? I was watching this game with my friends and it looked like they were just rolling the ball on the field instead of throwing it . Like, what's up with that?

Oh, and speaking of teams having a lot of money, have you seen those new luxury cars that just came out? I saw this one commercial where this guy is driving around in a car worth like $100k+ and he's still taking the subway to work . Like, priorities, dude.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that team decisions are super complicated and there's no clear answer . Maybe Grisham will surprise us all again?