Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham power Yankees to another win over Orioles
The Yankees entered this winter with two high-ceiling, no-longer-that-young outfield prospects in Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones who probably deserved and deserve a shot at extended playing time. And yet Brian Cashman & Co.filled up the major league outfield by extending a qualifying offer to Trent Grisham, who accepted, and winning a drawn-out free agent competition for Cody Bellinger, who somehow is the second-highest-paid player in baseball this season. Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees.
When he opted to retain the 2025 outfield and rely upon the prospects as depth rather than immediate help, Cashman might have had days like Saturday in mind. After Aaron Judge and Ben Rice did the heavy lifting throughout April, it was Grisham and Bellinger who assumed the load during a 9-4 victory over the Orioles in front of 46,049 — the season’s second sellout, thanks in part to a Max Fried Mandalorian bobblehead giveaway — on a brisk, early May afternoon in The Bronx. The Yankees (22-11) have won 12 of 14 and are throwing an early haymaker at the Orioles, who entered this series hoping to establish themselves as an AL East contender and thus far have been outscored 17-6. Baltimore had few answers for Ryan Weathers, who allowed just one earned run on a Pete Alonso homer in five-plus innings before sixth-inning issues, and could not hold down a pair of bats that have become nearly afterthoughts in the Yankees order. Bellinger entered play hitting .250 with a .755 OPS, acceptable but barely visible within the shadow of Rice and Judge, who have been two of the game’s best hitters and combined for 23 home runs.Grisham entered hitting .155 with a .616 OPS and was an early target for fans who watch box scores rather than games: There were social media complaints about Aaron Boone sticking with Grisham at leadoff, though the patient Grisham had hit into...