The New York Yankees are in a tight spot—and not the good kind. Their infield is unraveling at the seams.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. can play both second and third base, but sadly, not at the same time. This means either DJ LeMahieu or Oswald Peraza has to play the other spot.
LeMahieu looks like a shell of his All-Star self, batting to an 89 wRC+ while Oswald Peraza has managed just a 46 mark.
Oswaldo Cabrera’s lingering ankle injury has only added more urgency to an issue that’s gone from inconvenience to outright liability.
Ryan McMahon: A Steady, Reliable Upgrade
According to ESPN, the Yankees are a solid fit for Ryan McMahon, the steady third baseman from the Colorado Rockies.
McMahon isn’t flashy, but he’s remarkably consistent—he’s hit between 20 and 23 home runs every year since 2021.
His wRC+ has lived in the 89–97 range over that same span, but keep in mind: he plays half his games at Coors Field.
That elevation distorts offense and can drag down certain adjusted metrics, like wRC+, even when power numbers are solid.
Despite a hefty, yet manageable contract—$12 million this year and $16 million in both 2026 and 2027—McMahon could be worth the cost.
A Trade Market Heating Up
ESPN gives him a 60% chance to be traded, naming the Yankees among the top five landing spots alongside Detroit and Seattle.
They noted his power, patience, and glove as assets, even if his contact skills and baserunning leave room for improvement.
McMahon is no superstar, but compared to LeMahieu and Peraza, he feels like Graig Nettles stepping out of a time machine.
The Yankees don’t need McMahon to become a star. They just need him to be reliable, and he’s proven that already in Colorado.
Could New York Unlock a New Gear?
That said, there’s room for more. New York’s infrastructure could unlock levels in McMahon that the Rockies never tapped into.
Colorado has become something of a developmental graveyard—more chaos than compass—and McMahon has survived it all.
Now 30, McMahon isn’t expected to suddenly “break out,” but the ingredients for a surge are already sitting in his tool kit.
He’s posting a career-best 51.7% hard-hit rate and a 41.3% pull rate—ideal for Yankee Stadium’s inviting right field porch.
Add in a scorching 94.3 mph average exit velocity (98th percentile) and you begin to wonder: what could he be in pinstripes?
The Case for a Seamless Fit
Strikeouts are still an issue, but his Statcast page looks like a traffic light stuck on red—almost every key metric is elite.
In 2025, he’s hit 12 home runs and put up a 94 wRC+. That’s roughly league-average offense combined with standout defense.
McMahon also brings strong walk rates and elite glove work at third base, something the Yankees are sorely missing right now.
There’s real reason to believe McMahon could become a 100–110 wRC+ bat with 20–25 homers a year in a better hitting context.
A player like that, paired with a stable glove, is worth every penny—especially when the Yankees are chasing October dreams.
Why the Yankees Should Strike Now
It’s like finding a reliable old pickup truck in a world full of fast but fragile sports cars—steady gets you where you’re going.
The fit makes much sense. The need is real. And the Yankees shouldn’t wait around hoping LeMahieu magically rebounds.
McMahon might not be the sexy name, but he could quietly be the piece that balances a lineup teetering on inconsistency.
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