LAS VEGAS — With or without Trent Grisham, the Yankees plan to get in the batter’s box and take a swing at re-signing Cody Bellinger.
Absent from this week’s GM Meetings, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman revealed his club’s offseason outfield agenda and a lot more Wednesday in a 30-minute Zoom call.
Here are takeaways from Cashman’s comments:
OUTFIELD PLANS
According to Cashman, the Yankees are hoping Grisham passes on free agency to accept a $22.025 million qualifying offer and Bellinger is signed to a long-time deal after opting out of the final season of his last contract, which would have paid $25 million in 2026.
“We’re very interested in bringing (Bellinger) back,” Cashman said. “Obviously now that he’s a free agent, he’s gonna have a lot of choices because he can do a lot of different things.
“We’d be better served if we could retain him. If not, then we’ll have to look at alternative ways to fill it and see where that takes us. But it’s pretty early in the process.
“I said it before and I’ll say it again: Of course we’d like to have him back.”
The Yankees say they want Grisham back, too, even though the two-time Gold Glove winner who hit 34 homers in 2025 has a market value that’s probably closer to $15 million annually than $22 million.
“We extended the qualifying offer to Grish because we’re comfortable doing so,” Cashman said. “This is a very thin outfield market. If he turns it down, that means the market is flush with teams that have the need in the outfield, especially center field. He had a hell of a year for us and one of the big reasons why we had the level of success we did.
“We’d be happy if he accepted and came back. If we get a call at some point that he accepts, our conversations with (agent) Scott Boras on Bellinger will continue and we’ll see where that takes us. If he rejects, we’ll be talking to both Grisham and Bellinger regardless and then we’ll be continuing keeping an eye on the guys we have from within.”
If Bellinger and Grisham return, second-year left fielder Jasson Dominguez probably will be in a fourth-outfielder role and center fielder prospect Spencer Jones likely will be back in the minors after hitting 35 homers and stealing 29 bases playing Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.
But for the time being, the Yankees want Dominguez and Jones spending the winter preparing for a possible big-league starting job next season.
“Jasson Domínguez is going to play winter ball,” Cashman said. “Spencer Jones has been working out at Yankee Stadium and eventually he’ll be heading to Tampa after he takes a break. He’ll be heading to Tampa working out down there and hit the ground running heading into spring training. Those guys all have exciting upside.
“We already know what Grisham and Bellinger are capable of. It’s very early in the process. I don’t know where any of it is going to take us. We could lose both Grisham and Bellinger to free agency and then that puts a lot more stress and pressure on those internal options.
“If one of those guys comes back, it creates nice competition. If both of those guys come back, then maybe it creates trade flexibility. I just don’t know how this stuff is going to play out. I guess stay tuned.”
WHO’S ON FIRST?
The Yankees likely will pass on trying to sign Pete Alonso and all of the other free agent first basemen because they envision Ben Rice manning the position in 2026 after a breakout first full season in the majors.
“I view Ben Rice as having an everyday role in the big leagues for us next year,” Cashman said. “Right now the lane is first base. As of right now, he’s in our lineup and the more likely spot would be first base.”
Beginning the season filling in at designated hitter for injured slugger Giancarlo Stanton, Rice went on to hit .255 with 26 homers and 65 RBI in 138 games (with 46 starts at first, 48 at DH and 26 at catcher).
“He can catch as well. (But) I have (Austin) Wells as our catcher and (Rice) at first. You never know how winds of change blow here every winter. More likely than not, I see (Rice) at first base.
“We’re really proud of the season he just had. He’s always hit and he’s continued to back that up and he’s had a huge impact for us this year. Obviously, he forced his way into the lineup on an everyday basis … and then forced his way into our future on an everyday basis.”
BUDGET CUTS?
The New York Post recently reported that Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner wants the 2026 payroll to be below $300 million after two seasons above.
That’s not Cashman’s territory, but he suggested the Yankees will be flexible when it comes to spending this winter because that’s been their track record.
“I know that we are always fluid with our payroll situation,” Cashman said. “Out of all the things that we have here in the organization, payroll usually is not an issue that we’ve had to deal with.
“I think payroll is always something we play with, but we’re pretty strongly invested. But what the ultimate payroll number is going to be? I haven’t gotten that from Hal Steinbrenner.”
ROTATION HELP WANTED
The Yankees will be targeting a rotation addition this winter because three of their veteran starters will begin next season on the injured list — Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt.
But with Rodon due back very early into the season and Cole probably returning by May or June, it’s possible the Yankees will pass on the top-tier free agent starting pitchers — Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Michael King, Zac Gallen and this offseason’s incoming Japanese ace, Tatsuya Imai.
“We have pitching depth. but it’s going to be challenged early,” Cashman said. “Certainly, we have a stressor on the front end of the rotation starting the season. Hopefully, that’s without any further injuries.
“We’ll be exploring how to protect ourselves so we’re not taking on water early because our rotation is compromised out of the gate. Certainly we can’t wait to get those guys back, Cole and Rodon especially, but it’s an area for us to focus on.”
PASSING ON BEST RELIEVERS?
The Yankees feel a “need to improve” their bullpen with Devin Williams and Luke Weaver on the free-agent market, but Cashman hinted available star closers Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez may not be seriously considered because he’s happy with 2025 trade-deadline acquisition David Bednar closing.
“We have a closer in Bednar, so that’s a good thing for us,” Cashman said. “But you never have enough quality arms in the bullpen. I’d say (adding a closer) is not a pressure point for us.
“So it lessens that role for us, but it doesn’t prevent us from dipping our toe in the water to add to our bullpen. we will be touching base with everybody that’s out in the marketplace to make sure we know what their costs are.”
PONDERING JAZZ EXTENSION
The Yankees haven’t decided if they want to explore a contract extension for All-Star second baseman Jazz Chisholm, who is a year away from free agency after becoming the franchise’s third 30-homer, 30-steal player this past season.
“Not sure how that would play out,” Cashman said. “(Agent) Brodie Van Wagenen and I spoke as early as (Wednesday). Jazz certainly came up. He’s been a great addition.”
The Yankees acquired Chisholm from the Marlins before the 2024 trade deadline. He’s told NJ Advance Media that his first choice is to re-sign with the Yankees.
“He’s obviously approaching free agency, which puts some pressure on,” Cashman said. “Do you make a decision now or do you wait? I don’t have an answer to the question.
“Clearly with his service time, he’s one year away from free agency. He’s one of the best second basemen in the game, an All-Star last year. But we have not had any conversations outside of he’s looking forward to playing next year, he loves playing here and we’re open if you want to have a legitimate conversation about value, open to a longer-term conversation as well. But that’s the extent of it.”
BOONE NOT A PUPPET!
The Yankees get defensive when they’re accused of using analytics to make lineup and in-game decisions.
In a recent Talkin’ Yanks podcast manager Aaron Boone went on the offense by claiming the Yankees “probably are the least” analytical team among five AL East clubs.
Cashman chimed in on Wednesday.
“We’ve been clearly accused to being too analytical,” he said. “Analytics is a big spoke in the wheel, but it’s not the only spoke in the wheel. We have the largest pro scouting department in the game, which we rely heavily on as well.
“I think (Boone’s) trying to bring the fans into the dugout with the commentary constantly about the front office is pulling the strings and every move seems to be the analytical department telling them what to do and everything is pre-scripted. None of that is true. So I think it was just him defending.
“We’re not wired in the dugout. I don’t know what goes into his decisions. They’re split decisions when you have to make these decisions to pull a pitcher, stay with a starter, pinch hit for a guy, run a guy … whatever.
“But it was his answer to the question of being constantly challenged of being a puppet and running a show that’s not designed by him, and that was his answer. The biggest takeaway is that he’s making those decisions.
“He’ll definitely make decisions that our analytics department wouldn’t agree with, but they’re not managing the team. Sometimes they work out for us, sometimes they don’t.”
INTERNATIONAL BUSTS BRING CHANGE
The Yankees have been striking out a lot in recent years in amateur free agent signings, so Cashman decided to move on from long-time international scouting director Donny Rowland, whose contract won’t be renewed after 15 seasons as the head man and 23 in the organization.
“I’ve been involved with Donny Rowland for a long time,” Cashman said. “Obviously, we’ve worked alongside each other for a long time and he’s run the department for quite some time. But, fork in the road: Contract has expired and I made the difficult decision to look for a different lead voice in that chair.”