Things are not going swimmingly right about now for the New York Yankees. They’re coming off a sweep at home at the hands of the Reds, and after a scorching first two months of the season, Aaron Boone’s club is just 14-16 since the start of June. They haven’t won a series since taking three of four from the Royals from June 10-13. Right now, perhaps no one is feeling those struggles more than center fielder Trent Grisham.
That’s because of this play, which took place in the ninth inning of Friday’s eventual 8-4 loss to Cincinnati:
It’s hard to characterize that as anything other than a lack of hustle on Grisham’s part that allowed Jeimer Candelario to take second base on what should’ve been a mere single. Candelario was stranded on the bases, but regardless that’s the kind of thing that will stick in the craw of a demanding fan base that’s seen a lot of losing baseball lately. You can tell that from the vigorous booing that Grisham received.
No doubt adding to matters if that Grisham is batting just .165/.287/.365 in this, his first season with the Yankees since coming over from the Padres in the December Juan Soto blockbuster.
Afterward, Boone mounted a defense of his outfielder:
“I mean, that’s one of those that looks bad in the moment, especially going through what we’re going through as a team right now. It’s also the way Trent Grisham, a Gold Glover, plays center field — like that relaxed, easy nature … Do I want him to square up to it and tackle it like you and I might in a side game? Not really. I want him to catch the ball and get it in and keep that guy off second base, but he has a track record of outstanding play out there and that’s kind of the way he does — kind of a slow heartbeat, motor and that when you’re through it doesn’t look great. I understand that.”
Grisham is indeed a Gold Glover, as he claimed the award in 2020 and 2022 with the Padres. Per Statcast, Grishman has been a pronounced defensive asset every season of his career, including this — albeit across limited playing time. Yankees fans, though, weren’t objecting to his capabilities. Rather, they were objecting to what looked like a plain lack of effort.
