The New York Yankees advanced to the ALDS after defeating the Boston Red Sox in the Wild Card Series. New York is seeking its second-straight American League pennant and the team received a significant boost from an unexpected source this season. Trent Grisham had a career-best year at the plate in 2025.
Grisham mashed 34 home runs, doubling his previous season-high mark. He also earned a solid baseball nickname. The seventh-year veteran was dubbed “The Big Sleep” by the Yankees. But how does the Gold Glove outfielder feel about the moniker?
“Nicknames are given, you don't really pick them. I think I've said it multiple times, whatever they choose, as long as it's not crazy, that's fine with me,” Grisham said, per SNY Yankees Videos.
There’s some debate about why Grisham was given this nickname. The Yankees-approved narrative has manager Aaron Boone designating the center fielder as The Big Sleep due to his ability to stay calm in clutch moments, per MLB.com.
While that is a reasonable explanation, Grisham’s general “sleepy” demeanor was well documented prior to his massive, clutch 2025 campaign, via Jomboy Media. Perhaps the two traits were merged here, creating a quality nickname.
The Big Sleep’s bat awoke in a career-best season
Grisham landed in New York as part of the Juan Soto trade prior to the 2024 season. Despite a .190/.290/.385 slash line in an underwhelming campaign, the Yankees signed Grisham to a one-year, $5 million deal over the offseason. The contract looks like a steal after the 28-year-old outfielder became a key contributor to New York’s offense.
Grisham slashed .235/.348/.464 with 34 homers, 74 RBI, 87 runs scored and a 125 OPS+ in 2025. He took over as the Yankees’ starting center fielder, allowing Judge to move to right. Grisham also lowered his strikeout rate from the previous three seasons and increased his walk percentage. But most of all, he socked lots of dingers.
Grisham went on a home run binge that rivaled Mickey Mantle’s 1958 season. He blasted 10 long balls in August and followed that up with six more as the Yankees tried to chase down the Toronto Blue Jays in September.
But while he’s put up a prolific power season, it’s come at the expense of other extra-base hits. Grisham recorded nine doubles in 2025. In his last full season in 2023 he had 31. Grisham broke a 61-game doubles drought in Game 2 of the ALWCS against the Red Sox.
Still, The Big Sleep has yet to awake in the postseason. The Yankees need his bat to come alive as they take on the Blue Jays in the ALDS.
