The Yankees may be bracing for another hit to their outfield depth after Trent Grisham exited Friday night’s game against the San Diego Padres with right hamstring discomfort.
Manager Aaron Boone said the club is still waiting on imaging before deciding whether Grisham will need another trip to the injured list, but he didn’t exactly downplay the concern.
“We’ll probably be getting imaging,” Boone said. “It seems like an injury. Not sure yet if it’s an IL or not, but it certainly could be.”
Grisham and Boone both said the issue surfaced when the center fielder tried to steal second base in the second inning, right after Grisham had worked a walk off Padres starter Walker Buehler. He stayed in the game for the moment, but the hamstring became a problem almost immediately after. In the bottom of the inning, Grisham had trouble tracking down a ball hit into shallow center by Xander Bogaerts, which dropped in for an RBI single.
After that inning, Grisham met with a trainer and walked back to the clubhouse. He did not return, with Spencer Jones shifting from right field to center and Heliot Ramos coming in to play right.
The timing is especially tricky for New York because Grisham already missed a chunk of the season with the same hamstring. He went on the injured list in June with a moderate right hamstring strain and was expected to be out for multiple weeks.
There was at least one positive note: Boone and Grisham both said the hamstring had not been bothering him since he returned from that earlier IL stint. But Friday night’s stolen-base attempt changed the picture, and the Yankees now have to wait for the tests before they know whether this is another short-term scare or something that could send Grisham back out for an extended absence.
Grisham entered the game hitting .211 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs, making him a key piece in New York’s outfield mix. For now, the Yankees are left hoping the imaging brings better news.
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