Yankees mailbag: Who should’ve hit leadoff instead of Trent Grisham?

In a Yankees mailbag column, the writer criticizes manager Aaron Boone for batting Trent Grisham leadoff during New York's postseason elimination game. With Aaron Judge sidelined, the author explores alternate lineup configurations to set up Ben Rice, noting that Grisham struggled significantly after returning from injury and failed to reach base in the critical contest.

The writer identifies Cody Bellinger as the ideal, safe replacement at leadoff, while also pointing to Austin Wells and rookie George Lombard Jr. as alternative options. Additionally, the piece addresses fan dissatisfaction with MLB's postseason bracket structure, arguing that playoff seeds should be determined strictly by regular-season record.