NEW YORK — Brian Cashman secured Cody Bellinger on a five-year deal. He brought back Trent Grisham on the qualifying offer. The Yankees traded for pitching help from Miami. Spring training is weeks away.
Yet the general manager is not done shopping. The Yankees want another outfielder. And this time, the bat must swing from the right side.
Multiple league sources told The Athletic that New York is searching for a right-handed hitting outfielder through both free agency and the trade market. The projected Opening Day roster leans heavily left-handed, and the front office wants to fix that imbalance before pitchers and catchers report.
Grichuk emerges as a target
Veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk is one name the Yankees have considered, according to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. The 34-year-old became a free agent after declining his mutual option with the Kansas City Royals in November.
Grichuk has built his career as a lefty killer. He owns a 118 wRC+ against left-handed pitching over 11 MLB seasons. With the Diamondbacks in 2024, he slashed .319/.386/.528 versus southpaws before getting dealt to Kansas City.
His 2025 numbers took a dip. Grichuk hit .228 overall with nine home runs in 113 games split between Arizona and Kansas City. His wRC+ against lefties dropped to 89 in 183 plate appearances. But one rough season may not erase a decade of production against left-handed pitching.
He can play all three outfield positions. That versatility gives manager Aaron Boone options when constructing lineups against tough lefties.
Yankees made formal offer to Slater
The search has already produced at least one concrete offer. The Yankees made a major league contract offer to Austin Slater earlier this offseason, per Kuty. The 33-year-old outfielder carries a career 119 wRC+ against left-handed pitching.
New York acquired Slater from the White Sox at last year’s trade deadline, sending pitching prospect Gage Ziehl to Chicago. But the move did not work out. Slater hit just .120 in 14 games for the Yankees. He spent most of his Bronx tenure on the injured list with a left hamstring strain.
He did not make the postseason roster. Still, his track record against southpaws kept him in the conversation.
The Yankees also checked in on Austin Hays before he signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the White Sox on Saturday, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Grisham problem against lefties
The need for a right-handed bat starts with Trent Grisham. The center fielder crushed right-handed pitching last season, posting a 144 wRC+. Against lefties? Just an 88 wRC+.
Bellinger’s return adds another left-handed bat to a lineup that already includes Aaron Judge from the right side but Grisham from the left. Jasson Dominguez switch-hits, but he performed much better from the left side of the plate in 2025. His wRC+ was 116 from the left and just 66 from the right.
Top outfield prospect Spencer Jones could push for big league time this season. He also bats left-handed. The lineup tilts one way, and Cashman wants to balance it.
First base option also considered
The Yankees might also target a right-handed hitter who can play first base. Ben Rice holds down that position, but he bats left-handed.
Boone said in December that Rice would play “a lot” against lefties after his strong 2025 season. Rice hit .255 with 26 home runs, 65 RBIs and an .836 OPS. But the Yankees might prefer flexibility to occasionally rest him against tough southpaws or use him behind the plate.
Last season, they had Paul Goldschmidt as their right-handed first baseman. He remains a free agent. Other free agent options include Starling Marte and Tommy Pham.
One source told The Athletic that the Yankees were not leaning in any particular direction as of Saturday morning. They were not close to making a move. But with spring training just weeks away, the clock is ticking for Cashman to find his righty bat.
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