Yankees invite Randal Grichuk to spring training to compete for reserve outfield role

After signing outfielder Randal Grichuk to a minor-league contract, the New York Yankees announced on Sunday that he's been officially invited to the team's major-league spring training camp. 

Grichuk, 34, is expected to be the Yankees' fourth outfielder who will primarily bat against left-handed pitching. For his career, Grichuk has a .268/.318/.500 slash line versus lefties. He wasn't quite as impressive in those matchups last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals, compiling a .703 OPS. But he still hit seven home runs with 12 doubles, 11 walks and 18 RBI. 

That performance was enough for the Yankees to bring in Grichuk. He will likely platoon with Trent Grisham, who batted .182/.303/.348 against left-handed pitching last season.

“He’s kind of settled into that role here now in the last few years. In ’23 and ’24, and even the first part of ’25, he was killing lefties,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the New York Post. “I think he struggled a little bit when he got traded to Kansas City at the deadline last year. But we think he has a chance to be a factor for us."

Grichuk could also be an option at designated hitter versus lefties if Giancarlo Stanton continues to struggle with tendinitis in both elbows early in the season. This week, Stanton told reporters he "can’t open a bottle or "a bag of chips" because of the condition. 

Adding Grichuk might raise eyebrows among Yankees fans with fellow outfielder Jasson Domínguez. However, the 23-year-old registered a .569 OPS against lefties last season, with a .530 mark during his early career. The Yankees apparently want Domínguez to play every day in Triple-A rather than platoon in the majors. 

Spencer Jones has also been impressive early in spring training, hitting three home runs in five Grapefruit League games. But he had a .662 OPS versus left-handers. And the Yankees want him to reduce his strikeouts overall before considering him for a major-league role. Last season, Jones struck out 179 times in 506 plate appearances between Double- and Triple-A. 

In 12 MLB seasons, Grichuk has a .251/.298/.465 average with 268 doubles, 212 homers and 629 RBI. He's played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels, in addition to the D-Backs and Royals.