When Brian Cashman discussed the Yankees’ decision to extend the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer to Trent Grisham last week, the general manager said he was “comfortable” with the move. Now that Grisham has accepted the pricey offer, the question is how comfortable Hal Steinbrenner would be with another $300 million payroll.
With Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, Ryan Yarbrough agreeing to a one-year deal that will guarantee him $2.5 million, and Tim Hill having a $3 million club option exercised, the Yankees’ projected competitive balance tax payroll for 2026 is already at $281 million, according to Cot’s Contracts. The second-highest threshold for competitive balance tax penalties is $284 million in 2026, while the highest threshold is $304 million.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are still prioritizing a reunion with free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, who has a vibrant market and should earn nine figures after a stellar first season in the Bronx. They could also use a frontline starter – they’ve expressed interest in coveted Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, who was officially posted on Tuesday – bullpen help and a platoon bat or two.
Steinbrenner, meanwhile, has called $300 million payrolls “unsustainable” despite exceeding that figure each of the last two seasons. Given the state of the Yankees’ roster and their needs, staying under that number will be a tall task if the team wants to improve after being bounced in the ALDS last month.
When asked if he’s been told to keep the payroll under $300 million, Cashman said the Yankees have a “fluid” budget and that Steinbrenner, expected to talk to reporters sometime next week, hasn’t given him an “ultimate” number.
“Out of all the things that we have here with the organization, payroll usually is not an issue that we’ve had to deal with much of,” Cashman added.
The Yankees could shed some payroll later this week, as Friday is the tender deadline. The Yankees have a few non-tender candidates in Mark Leiter Jr., Jake Cousins, Scott Effross and Ian Hamilton. However, only Leiter is projected to earn over $1 million in arbitration.
MLB Trade Rumors predicts Leiter, coming off a rough 2025 season, will get $3 million. Hamilton, demoted this past season, is projected to earn $941,000, while Cousins, recovering from Tommy John surgery, is listed at $841,000. Effross, who has battled multiple injuries over the last few years, is projected to earn $800,000 in arbitration.
The Yankees could address some of their needs by trading young players such as Jasson Domínguez, Spencer Jones, Will Warren and Luis Gil, but parting with those players won’t clear significant salary and would potentially bring back players who are earning more money.
Grisham can be traded, but he figures to be the Yankees’ starting center fielder again and would have to consent to any deal before June 15 as an acceptor of the qualifying offer.
Chapman to DET
Travis Chapman has found a new job and team after spending the last four seasons on the Yankees’ big league coaching staff.
The 47-year-old is joining the Tigers as their new minor league field coordinator, according to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman. Chapman spent spring training with Detroit in 2003 as a Rule 5 Draft pick but was returned to the Phillies, who gave him his only major league at-bat later that year.
The Yankees decided to let Chapman go when his contract expired earlier this offseason. He had most recently been the club’s major league first base and infield coach following numerous minor league gigs over the course of 13 seasons in the organization.
The Yankees promoted Dan Fiorito to take over Chapman’s roles on Aaron Boone’s staff.
