You can only cover a hole for so long before the floor gives out. The Yankees just felt that collapse at third base.
After Oswaldo Cabrera’s gruesome ankle injury, the team is once again stuck turning to DJ LeMahieu.
That decision is less about belief and more about desperation. There are no other internal answers left right now.
LeMahieu is 36 years old. He hasn’t been reliable at the plate in two seasons. His decline hasn’t just been slow — it’s been steep.
The Yankees hoped to get by with a patchwork approach. Now they’re trying to plug a hole in the dam with chewing gum.
Monday’s win in Seattle was completely overshadowed by the injury news. Cabrera was the team’s glue guy, their insurance policy.
Now that he’s gone, everything falls on LeMahieu — and that’s a gamble nobody feels good about.
Yankees can’t afford to roll with what they have
LeMahieu’s bat was already a liability in 2024. He slashed .204/.269/.259 and looked overwhelmed at the plate all year.
Even his veteran presence and solid glove can’t offset that kind of offensive decline. It’s just too steep.
The Yankees are built to win now. With Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge in the lineup, they can’t waste time.
They also can’t expect LeMahieu to suddenly rebound after two seasons of showing otherwise. The data is what it is.
The situation has gone from shaky to critical. It’s not about finding a platoon — it’s about finding a starter.
One name continues to rise to the top: Nolan Arenado
General manager Brian Cashman is going to have to act sooner than he hoped. All roads lead to a familiar trade target.
Nolan Arenado makes more sense now than ever. The Cardinals third baseman is putting up strong early numbers in 2025.
He’s slashing .270/.352/.426 with four home runs and 16 RBI. His strikeout rate is just 10.7%. His walk rate is 10.1%.
His 117 wRC+ shows he’s producing well above league average. And the defense? Still elite, as expected.
He’s recorded four defensive runs saved and five outs above average. The glove is as sharp as it’s ever been.
There’s just one problem — the contract. Two years remain, and the price tag will age poorly, possibly fast.
But sometimes, when you’re starving, even the overripe fruit starts looking good. That’s where the Yankees might be.
The Yankees might actually have leverage in this deal
The Cardinals don’t want to keep paying Arenado. They’re willing to eat salary to move him. That gives New York some flexibility.
If the Yankees can keep their top prospects and still get Arenado, this becomes a no-brainer.
There’s also the Goldschmidt factor. The two are close friends, and that chemistry could spark something inside the clubhouse.
Goldschmidt’s bounce-back has already helped stabilize the lineup.
Reuniting him with Arenado could give the Yankees a late-summer surge that puts them over the top.
Waiting until July might not be an option anymore
The Yankees usually wait until the deadline to make their move. But the clock is ticking faster this time.
The third base situation isn’t just unstable — it’s untenable. LeMahieu is not a long-term fix, and everyone knows it.
If Cashman can land Arenado without wrecking the budget or the farm system, it may be time to pounce.
Championship windows are fragile. The Yankees need a fix now — not two months from now, when it might be too late.
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