Boone speaks to Grisham about lack of hustle on error play, says it was 'a bad look'

Updated Jul. 5, 2024 5:54 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke to Trent Grisham over the center fielder's failure to hustle in the ninth inning of an 8-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds and said it was “a bad look.”

Grisham didn't charge Jeimer Candelario's two-out hit Thursday, then bobbled the ball for an error that allowed Candelario to take second. The Yankees went on to get swept by the Reds, their 13th loss in 17 games.

“It's a bad look,” Boone said Friday, “but at the same time, one of the reasons he’s a Gold Glove center fielder is because of his heartbeat, the reads, the jumps, the ease with which he plays the position, so you don’t want to lose that in there. But with that just be mindful of certain routine things.”

Boone was understanding, and Grisham was in the lineup for Friday night's series opener against Boston.

“If Grish makes a mistake in the field or if Gleyber (Torres) makes a mistake in the field, the way they play the game it’s not going to have a good look to it,” Boone said. “It’s not going to look like you and me playing softball where we’re going to take it off the chest and off the chin, but we suck."

“Some guys look the fundamentally sound (way) that everyone wants to see and you can live with that guy if he makes a mistake. There’s also really good players out there that make the same mistake that a hack would make doing it with ease and it looks lackadaisical," Boone added. "Believe me, that lackadaisical look sometimes is what makes Trent Grisham a Gold Glove center fielder. He plays the game with an ease and a flow. Now catch the ball. We don’t want that guy on second. And it gets magnified a little bit when we’re going through a spell like this.”

Acquired from San Diego in the December along with Juan Soto, Grisham entered Friday's series opener against Boston with a .165 average with five homers and 14 RBIs. Grisham had hit .304 since since Giancarlo Stanton went on the injured list June 23, leading to more playing time.

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