Yankees expected to slap impending free agent outfielder with qualifying offer
The New York Yankees expected stability from their stars in 2025, but Trent Grisham’s rise has been nothing short of stunning.
The 28-year-old outfielder has transformed from depth insurance into an everyday starter, playing the best baseball of his career.
Grisham’s breakout season in pinstripes
This season, Grisham is hitting .245/.351/.478 with a career-high 30 homers, 64 RBIs, and an impressive 132 wRC+.
He’s not just putting the ball in play — he’s controlling at-bats with patience, power, and newfound consistency at the plate.
Grisham ranks in the 90th percentile in barrel rate, but more impressively, he’s in the 100th percentile in chase rate.
That discipline means he rarely bites at pitches out of the zone, forcing pitchers into uncomfortable spots with his approach.
He’s also walking at a 13.5% clip, putting him among the top 6% of hitters across Major League Baseball this year.
Defense takes a step back, but offense shines
While Grisham has long been known for his glove, his defensive metrics slipped slightly compared to earlier career standards.
Even so, the Yankees can live with that trade-off when he’s producing elite offensive value in such a consistent manner.
For a team that has desperately needed complementary offense around Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, Grisham has been invaluable.
It’s rare for a player who began the year as a bench piece to emerge as a lineup fixture so quickly.
A one-year deal that turned into a jackpot
The Yankees signed Grisham to a one-year, $5 million contract to avoid arbitration, expecting little more than depth reliability.
Instead, he’s playing like someone who could command upwards of $80–100 million on the free-agent market this winter.
Now the Yankees face a critical decision: extend him long-term, risk losing him, or apply the qualifying offer to stall.
Bill Madden of the New York Daily News weighed in on how the Yankees might approach the situation.
The qualifying offer dilemma
“With potentially become a 80-100m FA, the Yankees would not allow themselves to be out-bid for a premier CF like Grisham, but Spencer Jones is coming & room must be made for him. The bet here is the Yankees make Grisham a QO & wait and see how much his market explode,” Bill Madden reported.
The qualifying offer would protect the Yankees, ensuring draft pick compensation if Grisham declines and signs elsewhere.
It would also buy them time, letting the market set his value rather than rushing into a massive extension immediately.
The wrinkle? The Yankees only have one QO to issue, and Cody Bellinger is also entering free agency this winter.
A looming outfield crunch
Bellinger is almost certain to decline his $20 million player option, seeking a deal closer to his full market value.
That leaves the Yankees in a tough spot — deciding between two left-handed outfielders who both bring different strengths.
Adding to the equation is Spencer Jones, the 6’6’’ top prospect who represents the future in the Yankees’ outfield mix.
Jones’ arrival could eventually force the team’s hand, making it impossible to keep both Bellinger and Grisham long-term.
For now, though, Grisham’s bat is too hot to ignore, and his breakout season guarantees he’ll be a central storyline.
Celtics’ Neemias Queta Reveals Support From Joe Mazzulla
Neemias Queta is heading into arguably the most important season of his career. The 7-foot rim-runner is expected to become the Boston Celtics’ starting big man.
Brad Stevens has overseen a talent drain in the front court. Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet all leaving the franchise. As such, Queta has a golden opportunity to prove himself at the NBA level.
Queta has spent the past few weeks in Europe, playing for the Portuguese national team at the FIBA EuroBasket. The big man thrived as a featured member of Portugal’s offense, leading the team to the knockout stages of the tournament.
In six games, Queta averaged 15.5 points, 8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Unfortunately, Germany eliminated Portugal 85-58.
When speaking to EuroHoops’ Cesare Milanti, Queta shared the support head coach Joe Mazzulla has been providing throughout the summer.
“I spoke with him a couple of times; he is always sending me messages of appreciation, or love, or me getting better,” Queta said. “What he sees in me, what I need to improve on, and that’s a great relationship that we have…It (EuroBasket) was a good opportunity for me to evolve my game and get ready for the next season…I got rested enough this offseason, and I think that I put myself in the best position to have a breakout season. I have the tools to compete with the best.”
Queta will face competition for a starting spot from Luka Garza, Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman next season.
Celtics Derrick White’ Shares Thoughts on Queta
During a recent episode of the “White Noise” podcast, Celtics guard Derrick White shared his thoughts on Queta receiving an expanded role.
“I think Joe has always been super hard on him for the last couple of years to prepare him for something like this,” White said. “Obviously, he’s going to have to have a big year, and we’re going to ask a lot out of him, which is exciting… He’s a guy who works hard, competes at a high level, and is just continuing to learn what works and what doesn’t in the NBA.”
White continued.
“We’re super excited for Neemias… I’m a big fan; he’s had so many different moments in these last two years. He’s helped us win games, or he’s changed the momentum of a game. It’s a big role for him.”
Queta played in 62 regular-season games in 2024-25. He averaged 5 points and 3.8 rebounds. However, with a bigger role on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how he scales his production.
Porzingis Backs Queta to Shine For Celtics
Kristaps Porzingis has also thrown his support behind Queta. The two went toe-to-toe at the EuroBasket tournament.
“Neemy has been getting better every year,” Porzingis said. “Coach Mazzulla has been pretty tough on him, and I believe he’s getting to a point where he deserves some real minutes, real rotation minutes. He’s been putting in the work, and you can see it in how he’s playing now in this tournament. I’m happy for Neemy. He’s a great dude, really cool person. He puts in the time, he puts in the work, and I’ll be glad to see him get a lot more minutes this year.”
Still, thriving in Europe is different to thriving in the NBA. Therefore, Queta will still need to prove himself for the Celtics. Fortunately for him, he will get every opportunity to showcase his skill set.
However, Celtics fans should have realistic expectations. Therefore, Queta may need some time to adjust to his new role. Hopefully, once he’s adjusted, he will prove he’s capable of being a starting-level NBA center.
