The Seattle Mariners may be staring at a left field opening in 2027, and that possibility has them tied to a familiar name from the Yankees.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter is predicting Seattle will make a run at center fielder Trent Grisham, a Gold Glove outfielder who hit a career-high 34 home runs in 2025. In Reuter’s view, the Mariners could create the room to make that move by moving on from shortstop J.P. Crawford, an impending free agent, and handing the position to Colt Emerson.
“The Mariners will likely let J.P. Crawford walk to hand shortstop duties over to Colt Emerson, despite a lackluster showing in his first big-league run,” Reuter wrote.
“That gives them some financial room to make a play for an outfield upgrade, and assuming they let Taylor Ward walk, Trent Grisham could slot nicely into left field while also serving as an insurance policy in center if Julio Rodríguez misses time,” he added.
Grisham is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain for the Yankees, and his 2025 breakout has not carried over cleanly this season. He’s hitting .211, which ranks eighth-worst among qualified hitters, and his defense in center field has also taken a hit, with -6 outs above average and speed that has been well below average.
Even so, the fit in Seattle is obvious enough for Reuter’s projection. The Yankees are expected to let Grisham leave in free agency, with Spencer Jones emerging as a real option to take over center field in 2027. For the Mariners, Grisham wouldn’t need to be an everyday cornerstone; his 18 home runs and ability to cover multiple roles would still make him a useful piece off the bench and in the outfield mix.
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