Former Brewers outfielder breaking out with the Yankees feels like a parallel universe

Once upon a time, Trent Grisham was imagined to be a cornerstone piece for the Milwaukee Brewers. Picked 15th overall in the first round of the 2015 MLB Draft, the toolsy outfielder carried the hopes of Brewers fans who dreamed he’d one day headline the top of their lineup. 

After four years of waiting, his 2019 debut season was filled with some flashes of promise but hardly moved the needle. Grisham appeared in 51 games, slashing .231/.328/.410 with six home runs and 24 RBIs. His game was loud on power potential but even louder on strikeouts. And after that brief stint, which ended in tragic fashion during the 2019 Wild Card Game as every Brewers fan will painfully remember, the Brewers made the call to move on, shipping him to the San Diego Padres that offseason.

At first, the move didn’t seem to backfire too hard. But over time, it’s continued to add up. Grisham won a Gold Glove in his first season with the Padres and added another in 2022. However, with every diving catch in center field came the glaring reality that his bat just wasn’t keeping pace. In 2022, despite setting a career-high with 17 home runs, Grisham hit just .184 with a .284 OBP and an 81 OPS+. Over the last three seasons, he didn’t even crack the Mendoza Line. His offensive value continued to sink, and to many, he looked destined to fade into a glove-first bench role.

The Brewers gave him up, the Padres moved on — now Grisham is lighting it up in pinstripes

But here in 2025? With the same New York Yankees who acquired him as a throw-in alongside Juan Soto — Grisham is lighting the league on fire. Through his first 34 games, Grisham is slashing .288/.373/.663 with 12 home runs and 22 RBIs and a jaw-dropping 189 OPS+. To put that in perspective, he’s outproducing Juan Soto himself — who, in an ironic twist, is still playing in New York but now wearing a Mets uniform just across town.

What’s intriguing is this doesn’t look like a fluke — at least not yet. After years of hovering above a 22% strikeout rate, Grisham is suddenly showing a career-best 18.6% strikeout rate. He’s also sporting a ridiculous 17.1% chase rate, placing him among the league’s elite in terms of plate discipline. While skeptics might joke about the usage of a torpedo bat, the answer appears much simpler — an open stance adjustment and a shift in plate approach. Sometimes, that’s all it takes.

The Yankees, who have been quietly overhauling their offensive philosophies between 2024 and 2025, seem to have unlocked something Milwaukee and San Diego never could. And sure, Yankee Stadium’s hitter-friendly dimensions don’t hurt either.

Will the magic last? Probably not at this ridiculous pace. Regression is bound to come knocking. But for now, Grisham is playing out of his mind, and fans in Milwaukee might be shaking their heads, wondering what could have been.

But here’s the thing — sometimes, you just have to move on. The Brewers are a different team with different goals now. Chasing the ghosts of "what if" does nothing but torture fans with hindsight. There's no way Grisham would've lasted on the Brewers through his down seasons, and the recent onset of young outfield talent in Milwaukee. But as the Brewers continue to struggle in 2025, any bit of success from a former player can be a painful reminder of the exciting Milwaukee offenses of yesteryear.