The New York Yankees are definitely in need of a third baseman between now and the MLB trade deadline, as it would allow them to move Jazz Chisholm back to second base and send DJ LeMahieu to the bench.
The problem is that there aren’t many options available for the Yankees in the third base department, so New York may have to settle for a somewhat unexciting player.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan has linked the Yanks to a pair of well-known third basemen, but neither of them have been all that good this year. Those two players are Ryan McMahon and Nolan Arenado.
McMahon has spent his entire career with the Colorado Rockies and was a very appealing potential target during the first half of 2024, but his stock has since plummeted, and thus far this season, he is slashing .222/.327/.410 with 12 home runs and 25 RBI. He has, however, been brilliant defensively.
Arenado, meanwhile, is a declining player who has regularly been connected to the Yankees since the offseason. The Cardinals infielder is certainly not the same player from his Rockies days, both in terms of his bat and his glove. He owns a .251/.313/.405 slash line in 2025, and he hasn’t posted an OPS of .800 or better since 2022.
On the plus side, New York wouldn’t have to break the bank for Arenado, and St. Louis may be willing to eat some of his contract if it decides to move him. McMahon, though, is under contract through 2027, and his elite defense could result in Colorado asking for a decent haul for him.
All things considered, the Yankees would be better off pursuing cheaper options, or at least someone who can actually hit (such as Eugenio Suarez, for example).
