BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
The received a significant injury scare relief on Thursday after center fielder revealed medical tests showed no structural damage to his left knee following his early exit from Wednesday night’s game against the .
Grisham said he felt optimistic shortly after the injury occurred but admitted there was still concern until imaging and evaluations confirmed the knee had avoided serious damage.
The veteran outfielder exited during the fifth inning of the Yankees’ narrow 2-1 loss to Toronto after appearing to injure himself earlier in the game while running the bases.
The incident occurred in the second inning when Grisham hit a bloop double that dropped into shallow left field between Blue Jays left fielder and third baseman . After reaching second base, Grisham was visibly uncomfortable and grimaced while standing on the bag, immediately raising concerns among teammates and coaches.
Despite the apparent discomfort, Grisham initially remained in the game before eventually being replaced in center field during the fifth inning by highly regarded Yankees prospect .
Jones made his second consecutive start in center field on Thursday after recently being called up following a strong stretch with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The towering outfield prospect has become one of the organization’s most closely watched young players and could receive additional opportunities if Grisham requires rest in the coming days.
For the Yankees, avoiding a major injury to Grisham is an important development as the team continues navigating a demanding stretch of the season while trying to maintain stability in the American League playoff race.
Although Grisham has struggled at the plate in terms of batting average, his overall offensive production has still provided value to New York’s lineup, particularly through run production and defensive reliability in center field.
The 29-year-old is currently batting .174 with six home runs and 27 RBIs. His batting average ranks among the lowest for qualified major league hitters this season, but his ability to drive in runs has remained surprisingly effective. Among MLB center fielders, Grisham ranks third in RBIs despite the low average.
Yankees coaches and analysts have pointed to his disciplined approach at the plate, defensive versatility and timely hitting as reasons the organization continues to value his contributions even during offensive inconsistency.
Grisham returned to the Yankees this offseason after accepting a one-year qualifying offer worth just over $22 million. The move came after a strong 2025 season in which he batted .235 with a career-high 34 home runs and 74 RBIs across 143 games.
The Yankees originally acquired Grisham from the in December 2023 as part of the blockbuster trade that also brought superstar outfielder to New York.
At the time, much of the attention surrounding the trade focused on Soto, but Grisham has since carved out an important role for himself with the Yankees through his defense, experience and occasional power production.
Defensively, Grisham remains one of the more respected center fielders in baseball, known for his range, instincts and ability to cover large areas of the outfield in Yankee Stadium’s spacious gaps.
The Yankees have dealt with several injury concerns throughout the season, making Thursday’s medical update particularly important for a club hoping to avoid losing another key contributor for an extended period.
Managerial staff are expected to monitor Grisham closely over the next several days, and it remains unclear whether he will miss additional games or be limited while recovering from soreness in the knee.
For now, the absence of structural damage represents a major positive for both Grisham and the Yankees as they continue pushing through a competitive stretch of the Major League Baseball season.