San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23), left fielder Jose Azocar (28) and center fielder Trent Grisham (1) run off the field after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park on Sept. 5, 2023. Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Padres Castoff Making San Diego Regret Trading Him With Dominant Season

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 6:30 PM ET

Only one New York Yankees slugger reached double-digit home runs in the month of August. It was not Aaron Judge, the reigning American League MVP, or even Jazz Chisholm Jr., the infielder who found his power stroke at midseason.

It was Trent Grisham, the former San Diego Padres outfielder who was essentially a throw-in by Padres GM A.J. Preller in the Juan Soto trade in December 2023.

Judging that trade is not as simple as assigning a winner or loser. Both teams improved roster weaknesses with their ends of the seven-player megatrade. In that sense, the trade achieved its goals for the Yankees and Padres, reflected by their improved win totals and postseason runs in 2024 compared to 2023.

One question still lingers for the Padres: did they have to throw Grisham in there?

Grisham has already hit a career-high 28 homers this season, including 10 in August. Only three players cleared the fences more last month. His 130 OPS+ is on pace for a career high.

The center fielder was already a two-time Gold Glove Award winner (2020, 2022) by the time the Padres traded Grisham to the Yankees. Yankees fans perhaps figured Grisham would give the team an upgrade defensively over Judge in center field — and anything else would be a bonus.

Grisham has given New York far more than anyone expected.

"Two winters ago, the Yankees were were forced to take on Trent Grisham and his $5.5 million in the Juan Soto trade. Now, Grisham is having a monster season and is a primary reason the Yankees are sitting in the playoff hunt with his career-high 28 homers, including seven in the last 10 games entering Saturday," wrote USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Grisham was a .198/.315/.352 hitter in 2023, his final year in San Diego. The trade to New York did little to energize Grisham's bat at first. He finished 2024 with a .190/.290/.385 slash line in the regular season and was not included on the Yankees' postseason rosters as they marched to the World Series, eventually losing in five games to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The timing of Grisham's offensive breakout season looks fortuitous. The Yankees signed him to a modest $5 million contract last November to avoid salary arbitration. He has plenty of time to collect the 68 plate appearances he needs to unlock all $250,000 in performance bonuses in his contract.

After the World Series ends, Grisham will instantly become one of the most sought-after free agents on the market. For the Padres, losing him to the Yankees now amounts to a compelling question of "what if?"