New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced Saturday that veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk has secured a position on the team’s Opening Day lineup.
The 34-year-old will serve as a reserve outfielder even though he struggled at the plate during spring training, managing only a .125 batting average across six games with a .313 OPS. Grichuk inked a minor league deal with New York on February 26th worth $2.5 million for this season if he earned a roster spot during camp.
New York begins their regular season campaign this Wednesday with a road matchup against the San Francisco Giants.
During the 2025 season, Grichuk divided his playing time between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals, posting a .228 batting average along with nine home runs and 27 RBIs across 113 contests.
Throughout his 12-year major league career spanning 1,360 games, he maintains a .251 batting average with 212 home runs and 629 RBIs. His journey has taken him through organizations including the St. Louis Cardinals (2014-17), Toronto Blue Jays (2018-21), Colorado Rockies (2022-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Diamondbacks (2024-25) and Royals (2025).
New York sought a right-handed offensive option for their bench, and Grichuk brings valuable production against left-handed pitching with a career .819 OPS and .500 slugging percentage in those matchups.
