Tripling Trent Grisham, Yankees topple Giants in easy Opening Day victory

Gary Phillips, New York Daily News on Mar 25, 2026

Published in Baseball

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SAN FRANCISCO — With Netflix turning Oracle Park into the set of a big-budget, Hollywood-style production on Opening Day, members of the New York Yankees walked between two yellow, New York City taxis during pregame introductions. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants, hopped through a San Francisco cable car as they took the field on Wednesday.

The vehicular props proved fitting, as the Giants’ evening quickly went off the rails when their ace, Logan Webb, surrendered five runs in the second inning. The frame saw the Yankees make multiple stops on the bases and set the tone for what became a 7-0 win and their fifth consecutive victory on Opening Day.

The biggest hit of the inning came from Trent Grisham, who drove a first-pitch changeup deep to right-center field for a 105.7-mph, two-run triple. Grisham, rather slow for a center fielder, only had one triple last season and just two since 2023, but that didn’t stop him from chugging into third.

Neither did a collision with Matt Chapman. Grisham slid head-first into the knee of the Giants’ third baseman as he made his way to the bag – he also got hit by the incoming throw – and had to be checked on by trainers. Ultimately, he laughed off the aches and remained in the game.

Despite going 1 for 5 with a strikeout,Grisham’s two-run triple made for a nice Opening Day for the 29-year-old, who accepted the one-year, $22.025 qualifying offer from the Yankees over the offseason.

The Yankees extended that offer after Grisham set career-highs with 34 home runs, 74 RBI, an .811 OPS and a 129 wRC+ in 2025. However, the decision received some criticism from segments of a fanbase that didn’t love the Yankees’ run-it-back winter and wondered if Grisham’s success was sustainable. After all, Grisham owned a lifetime 95 wRC+ before last season and an 87 wRC+ from 2022-2024.

Strong springs from young, demoted outfielders Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones only encouraged Grisham’s detractors as he struggled throughout camp.

But Grisham was always going to be the Yankees’ center fielder, and various metrics – as well as some healthier thinking– left the Yankees confident that he could remain a force at the plate. In addition to career-high surface numbers, Grisham set personal bests with a 14.2 Barrel%, a 91.1-mph average exit velocity, a .353 wOBA and a .366 xwOBA last year. That last stat fell in the 90th percentile, while Grisham’s 17.3 Chase% and 14.1 BB% were in the 99th percentile.

“All the underlying information that would lead you to believe real or not real, it points to the real arrow,” Brian Cashman said over the offseason. “All the information backs up that the changes he made are real and that it should continue.”

Time will tell if the Yankees bet right — Grisham also had a 101.7-mph lineout on Wednesday — but his first game of the season wasn’t a bad start.

A few other Yankees could say the same with the team beginning its quest to end a title drought that dates back to 2009, as No. 7 hitter José Caballero kicked off the scoring in the second inning with an RBI double. Ryan McMahon followed with a two-run double, making for some solid production toward the bottom of the Bombers’ order.

Giancarlo Stanton, fresh off a hard-hitting spring despite lingering elbow issues, tacked on another run in the fifth inning with a 114.4-mph RBI single. San Francisco then gave the Yankees another run on a throwing error.

On the mound, Max Fried kept the Giants at bay despite beginning his night with a four-pitch walk. While the left-hander, making his first Opening Day start for the Yankees, had to work out of trouble in the first, he ended up throwing 6 1/3 scoreless innings.

Fried also totaled two hits, one free pass, four strikeouts and 86 pitches.

One Yankee who did not have a successful season-opener was Aaron Judge, who struck out four times. The right fielder had not picked up a golden sombrero since 2024 and became the first reigning MVP to strike out four times in his team’s first game of a season.

Judge will have to wait an extra day to make up for his lackluster 2026 debut, as the Yankees and Giants are off on Thursday. They’ll resume their series on Friday when Cam Schlittler faces off against Robbie Ray.

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