Yankees Notes for 2/26

1. The Yankees sign OF Randal Grichuk to a minor league deal.

While he is a non-roster invitee, it is fair to consider Grichuk a favorite to make the MLB roster out of Spring Training.

After a solid 2024 campaign in Arizona (.291/.348/.528 (139 OPS+) in 279 plate appearances), Grichuk crashed hard in 2025. Playing for the Diamondbacks and Royals, he hit a pitiful .228/.273/.401 with nine home runs in 293 plate appearances.  Combined with his meh defense, he compiled -0.4 fWAR.

That said, there are positives under the hood. His average exit velocity was 92.4 MPH, and he compiled a 49.5% hard-hit percentage.  Both his expected batting average (.259) and slugging percentage (.457) were significantly above his actual numbers. I don’t look at expected numbers and conclude that everything was bad luck. However, there is enough there for this to be a worthwhile transaction.  Splitting the difference between his 2024 and 2025 campaigns can give us a productive player (to be exact, splitting the difference essentially gives you what he was in 2023, where he hit .267/.321/.459).

His splits don’t show him as a lefty masher, though most of his power comes at the expense of left-handed pitching. In 2025, he had a higher batting average versus right-handed pitching, but his SLG was 80 points higher against LHP.

Power is his calling card, as he offers little in the plate discipline department. I bet some would be surprised to know he has 213 career home runs and .465 SLG. If that power continues to fall as it did in 2025, his offensive value will be…well, it won’t exist.

His defense doesn’t jump out at you, but it doesn’t kill you. In 2025, he spent most of his time in right field, but he has significant experience in left field.  Center field was once a big part of his game, but not anymore.

Bottom Line:

Grichuk is a veteran who still carries value and some bounce-back potential. He is the type of player you need to be willing to cut ties with the moment he shows he can’t play anymore, though.

2. CC Sabathia‘s number will be retired.

The Yankees, in need to give someone a day in 2026, landed on Sabathia for the honor. Anything that pushes Alvaro Espinoza Day aside is worth doing, however.

I have nothing against Sabathia’s number being retired. However, I don’t care. I am the rare Yankees fan who doesn’t care about historical uniform numbers. The honor was diluted a while ago, but would I raise a fit if they started recycling every number that is currently retired? No. Maybe they can strike a deal for Clint Frazier to wear #7 on Old Timers’ Day.

Does Sabathia “deserve” it?  Not a debate I find to be worthwhile.  He shows up on many all-time Yankees’ pitching lists, so there is that. Did you know that only six pitchers in Yankees’ history have made more starts than Sabathia? That only nine pitchers have more than his 134 wins? He had a strong career in New York and was a model citizen.

Bottom Line:

Most importantly, he is recent enough that Hal Steinbrenner can sell some tickets. When September 26th comes around, however, I will be more concerned about the standings than Sabathia’s uniform number no longer being produced by Nike (except for merchandise sales, of course).

3.  Spring Training So Far

Spring Training is meaningless.  “Well, actually…”  There isn’t a “well, actually” to be had, because Spring Training is meaningless. It is designed to be meaningless. Why do people continue to read into things that don’t matter?  You won’t remember the Spring Training numbers the moment they take the field in San Francisco.

“But look at Spencer Jones!”

Jones is the Spring Training Ted Williams, as he owns a .324/.432/.647 triple slash in 40 career spring training games.

“So, are you saying that I shouldn’t believe one thing I am seeing with my own two eyes?”

I don’t care whose eyes you are using – it is still meaningless.  100% meaningless. Stop trying to make something meaningful out of something that isn’t.

While performance helps players battling for a roster spot, the team’s needs will always come first. If a random outfielder hits .600 in Spring Training, but the bench is more in need of an infielder, guess who gets the job?

So, enjoy the games. Enjoy the fact that baseball is on your television (I practice what I preach, as I watch very little of Spring Training action), but don’t take what you are seeing as useful.

4. Giancarlo Stanton can’t open a bag of potato chips

Switch to Pringles?  Was it ever determined if Pringles are actually potato chips?  As long as Stanton hits home runs, I am not sure why I care much about his Lays’ addiction. I would be more concerned if he could open a bag of chips but couldn’t hit anymore.

5. Fangraphs releases its Top 100

Yankees on the list:

49. George Lombard Jr.
53. Elmer Rodriguez
69. Dax Kilby
73. Carlos Lagrange

Fangraphs projects Lagrange as a closer, so it makes sense that he would be ranked 20 slots below Rodriguez, who is seen as a starter.

I have added this list to my chart.