ARLINGTON, Texas — The Yankees solved one roster problem Wednesday morning. In doing so, they made the next one harder to ignore.
Randal Grichuk was designated for assignment. Elmer Rodriguez was recalled. The move was clean and overdue. But it also removed the obvious answer to a question that is arriving soon.
Anthony Volpe is coming back. He has completed nine minor league games, accumulated 29 at-bats and is trending toward activation before the weekend. When he is activated, the Yankees will need to clear a 40-man roster spot. Grichuk was the easy candidate. Now he is gone. That leaves a harder conversation directly ahead.
Why Grichuk had to go
Randal Grichuk signed a minor league deal with the Yankees late in February. He had a track record against left-handed pitching stretching more than a decade. He made the Yankees Opening Day roster. Then he made almost nothing happen.
He batted .194 in 33 plate appearances across 16 games. Two RBI. Ten strikeouts. A 30.3 percent strikeout rate, the worst of his 13-year career. He started 2026 going 0-for-13. He picked up a few hits against southpaws at Fenway. It was not enough.
The Yankees built him a role that required him to punish left-handed pitchers. He could not do it. His value disappeared along with his numbers, and when Rodriguez needed a spot, Grichuk was the natural casualty.
This Yankees team has shown one consistent trait in 2026. It moves fast. Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, went to Triple-A after four poor starts. Now Grichuk is gone after 33 plate appearances. The message is clear.
The squeeze that comes next
With Grichuk gone, the Yankees removed their easiest option for making space when Volpe returns. The remaining candidates are less obvious, and each has a reason to stay.
Paul Goldschmidt is under contract for $4 million this season. He started slowly. A two-hit game against Houston showed something. He provides Yankees first base depth and a left-handed option alongside Ben Rice. He is staying for now.
JC Escarra has filled a useful backup catcher role. His bat has added value when Austin Wells has slumped. The Yankees kept him specifically to avoid putting all their catcher burden on Rice. Removing him creates a different problem.
That leaves Max Schuemann as the clearest exit. The 28-year-old utility infielder was called up Tuesday when Giancarlo Stanton hit the injured list. His role was always temporary. The Yankees needed a warm body in the infield. He provided it. When Volpe steps back onto an active roster, Schuemann’s time runs out.
Volpe’s rehab line and the Dominguez factor
Volpe was slashing .276/.300/.379 in nine Yankees rehab games. One homer. Three RBI. Two stolen bases. Boone said he expected Volpe to play more rehab games through the week of April 28. A Friday or Monday activation appeared likely.
The Dominguez situation adds another layer. He was called up Monday to fill the DH spot for the Yankees while Stanton is sidelined. He went 1-for-9 in two games. Then he left Wednesday’s loss after an 89 mph Eovaldi cutter struck his left elbow. X-rays were inconclusive. A CT scan was scheduled for Thursday.
If Dominguez goes to the injured list, the Yankees’ roster math shifts again. They would then have space without needing to cut anyone. But if he avoids the IL, the squeeze tightens at the moment Volpe arrives.
Boone addressed the Dominguez situation after Wednesday’s 3-0 loss but offered no diagnosis. He was equally vague when asked whether the Stanton injured list move had made Volpe’s activation more urgent. His answer was direct.
“Not necessarily,” Boone said.
Grichuk’s departure cleared the path. Schuemann’s departure will follow. The Yankees front office has shown this year that it will not hesitate once the answer becomes clear. When Volpe is ready, the next move will not take long.
What do you think? Who else is on the chopping block?
