Aaron Judge makes big prediction for Trent Grisham’s season

Trent Grisham was initially viewed as a throw-in to the Juan Soto deal.

Aaron Judge believes he should be known as something else.

“I feel like that’s a guy that should be in an All-Star Game, especially with the season he’s putting up,” Judge said Wednesday. “I think he’s a big reason for the success we’ve had.”

The 28-year-old center fielder is in the early stages of putting together a career year.

He entered Friday batting .283 with a .996 OPS and 12 home runs — he was robbed of a 13th by Julio Rodriguez leading off Wednesday’s game — in 36 games, forcing his way into the Yankees lineup on a near-everyday basis in one of the pleasant early-season surprises.

Grisham’s home runs, OPS and WRC+ (178) were the highest among all American League center fielders with at least 100 plate appearances.

His 1.4 fWAR was tied for second (with Javier Báez and Rodriguez) behind Byron Buxton (1.6).

“It’s incredible,” Judge said. “I think that this is what Trent always saw in himself and what a lot of guys saw in him too. Being a first-round pick, coming up with Milwaukee and then gets traded to San Diego and finally traded to us. But I think you give a guy like that — he puts in the work every single day, a Gold Glove defender — give him 500 at-bats, let him go out there and do his things for a whole season and see what happens, good things are going to happen. 

“It’s been fun to watch. I’m looking forward to more.”

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Grisham struggled in his first season in The Bronx as he adjusted to not playing regularly for the first time in his career.

But taking advantage of an opportunity that was in part created by Soto’s departure to the Mets, Grisham has put together quality at-bats on a consistent basis to go with his sharp defense in center.

“He’s just in a great spot,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think it speaks to his talent. It speaks to where he’s at in his preparation and his process. I know he’s talked a lot about being mentally in a really good place and going up there and executing his plan. I think that’s something that comes with maturity. 

“Again, these things come in different ways. Some guys pop right away in their career, other guys sometimes it’s a little bit later. But the quality of the at-bat has been there from jump.”

Boone would normally have been reluctant to use Luke Weaver on Wednesday, a day after he threw two innings. But because Weaver was so efficient Tuesday (21 pitches for six outs), Boone decided he would use the closer (only for a save) in the series finale against the Mariners.

The result?

Weaver’s sharpest outing of the season.

He struck out the side on 15 pitches to close out the win, doing so with a fastball that averaged 95.6 mph — ticked up from his season average of 94.1 — and touched 96.5.

“For as good as he’s been to start the season [a 0.45 ERA in 17 games], these two outings are as good as he’s been,” Boone said. “It’s really efficient, life, good secondary. Back-to-back, two pretty dominant outings by him.”

Asked about the reception he expected for Soto, Boone chuckled.

“It’ll be interesting,” he said. “It’s The Bronx.”