Twenty-two million dollars.

That was the sound of a door potentially slamming shut on the biggest reunion of the offseason for the New York Yankees. When the notification hit that Trent Grisham had accepted the qualifying offer, the mood in the Bronx shifted from opportunistic to mathematically cramped.

Grisham was expected to decline and test the open market after making just $5 million last year, but instead, he opted for the massive raise, instantly locking a significant chunk of payroll into a fourth outfielder.

Trent Grisham Contract Eats Into New York Yankees Budget

The financial implications of this move are immediate and severe for General Manager Brian Cashman. The Yankees are projecting a payroll around $320 million for the 2026 season, a ceiling they seem hesitant to blow pa

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