Yankees Face Elimination as Grisham Struggles in ALDS

New York, NY — The New York Yankees are on the brink of elimination in the ALDS as they prepare for a crucial Game 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Center fielder Trent Grisham has struggled significantly during the postseason, hitting just 3-for-20 with eight strikeouts as the Yankees have sputtered offensively.

Grisham’s performance this postseason marks a stark contrast to his regular season, where he achieved personal bests in homers (34), RBIs (74), and OPS (.811). After playing a limited role as a fourth outfielder in 2024, he became a key player for the Yankees in 2025, delivering crucial hits, including a grand slam against the Astros.

Despite his current troubles, Yankees manager Aaron Boone defended Grisham on Monday, citing the “nature of the playoffs” and the small sample size of his struggles. “I trust Trent Grisham and his at-bat quality,” Boone said. He noted that Grisham has faced tough pitchers in this series and referenced Grisham’s strong performance during the 2022 wild-card series against the Mets, where he batted .500.

However, since then, Grisham has gone cold, hitting just .077 with 17 strikeouts over his last ten postseason games. Grisham’s only extra-base hit this postseason came in the seventh inning of Game 2 against the Red Sox, where he struck out four times in Game 1 and three times in Game 2.

The Yankees now look to regroup as they head into Game 3, needing to stifle the Blue Jays who won the first two games of the best-of-five series by a combined score of 23-8. Shane Bieber will take the mound for the Blue Jays facing off against Carlos Rodon. Boone remains optimistic about Grisham’s potential despite the pressing stakes of the game.

<p“He’s going to not get overwhelmed by a situation,” Boone emphasized. “He’s going to have the ability every time he walks up there to get on base and the threat of leaving the ballpark.” The outcome of Game 3 will determine if the Yankees can keep their postseason hopes alive or if they will be sent home.