Yankees Must Go Bigger Than New Third Base Platoon Before Deadline
The additions of Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario were much-needed, but the Yankees will need more to outpace their American League competitors.
This weekend, the New York Yankees may have finally solved their third base problem.
First, they sent a pair of pitching prospects to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for veteran Ryan McMahon. They acquired infielder Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals the next day.
While neither was considered a particularly flashy trade target, their presence has been sorely needed. Outside of the 1.4 fWAR accumulated by Jazz Chisholm Jr. over 28 starts at the hot corner, Yankees third basemen have combined for close to -1.0 WAR in 79 starts.
McMahon’s hot start with the Yankees made this weak spot all the more apparent. In just four games, McMahon has a higher fWAR (0.2) at third base for the Yankees than Oswaldo Cabrera, Jorbit Vivas, Pablo Reyes, and Oswald Peraza combined (-1.0).
He’s hit .308/.438/.385 (143 wRC+) in these few games, and has security with the addition of Rosario to platoon with against left-handed pitching. In 94 plate appearances against lefties, Rosario is hitting .307/.340/.489 this season.
The addition of McMahon and Rosario makes the Yankees’ offense even more formidable. They already held the league’s best wRC+ and now stand to get even better while addressing a core need.
However, these should not be the biggest moves they make at this deadline. If the Yankees hope to make it back to the Fall Classic this October, they will also need to look beyond the infield.
State of the Yankees
Generally, the season has had plenty of bright spots for the Yankees.
Aaron Judge has put together a mammoth 7.1 fWAR season so far, leading the league in all three triple-slash categories. Cody Bellinger has also had an impressive season in the Bronx, producing 3.5 fWAR in 98 games.
The tandem of Max Fried and Carlos Rodón has led the way on the pitching side of things. Together, they have put up 5.2 fWAR over 264 innings, pitching to a combined 2.90 ERA.
However, this year has not been without its down moments in New York.
From a health perspective, the Yankees have had a rollercoaster of a season. This has been particularly true for their pitching staff, as they’ve lost three pitchers to UCL injuries and several more to other injuries.
This has led to both their rotation and bullpen being worn incredibly thin. While Fried and Rodón have performed well, all other Yankees pitchers have combined for just 4.3 fWAR over 681.2 innings.
New York’s bullpen has had a particularly rough go of things. They currently own a combined 4.25 ERA and just 1.5 fWAR over 377.1 innings.
While key performers like Luis Gil, Fernando Cruz and Mark Leiter Jr. are expected back later this year, the Yankees’ staff will need reinforcements as soon as possible.
Two Birds, One Stone
With the deadline around the corner, plenty of teams are scanning the market for prospective additions to their roster.
Thankfully for the Yankees, they will have some flexibility in their ability to make deals. Their farm system may not rank among the top in MLB, but they have the advantage over some other contenders in being able to take on contracts at a higher price point.
One potential deal that floated around the rumor mill in the past few weeks involves the Pittsburgh Pirates.
No, the Yankees are not going to trade for Paul Skenes. That said, they could still improve both the rotation and bullpen by bringing in Mitch Keller and David Bednar.
Keller is under contract through 2028, and Bednar has another year of control left as well. While the $55.7 million remaining on Keller’s contract after this season may serve as somewhat of a deterrent, he currently holds a 3.69 ERA through 127 innings. That kind of performance would be well worth the price tag, given the urgency of the Yankees’ pitching needs.
Bednar is also having a very solid season. After leading the National League in saves with 39 in 2023, he posted a brutal 5.77 ERA over 57.2 innings in 2024. This year, however, Bednar has bounced back to the tune of a 2.37 ERA and 17 saves.
Looking Elsewhere
On the starting pitching side of things, the Yankees could also look to the Arizona Diamondbacks for an answer. Both Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly are expected to be available at the deadline, and the Yankees could certainly benefit from the addition of either player.
Gallen has had a down year, holding a 5.60 ERA in 127 innings. However, trading for him could still be a smart gamble to take, given his rental status and proven track record.
Kelly, on the other hand, has had one of the best seasons of his career thus far. He has posted a 3.22 ERA through 22 starts while sporting the lowest H/9 of his career (6.9) and the second-highest K/9 (8.5).
This has allowed Kelly to put up the lowest WHIP of his career over a full season thus far at 1.057. His price tag is certain to be on the steeper side. But, it is hard to argue with the consistency and stability he would afford the Yankees as they wait for Gil to return from injury.
As for the bullpen, the Yankees could go a number of ways. For one, they could target Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley to supplement their high-leverage options.
Though Helsley has taken a bit of a step back this year, he remains among the top bullpen options available. He is likely to attract a variety of teams looking to make a deal.
If the Yankees want to look elsewhere, perhaps the team best-suited to part with relievers is the Minnesota Twins.
Between Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Danny Coulombe, and Brock Stewart, the Twins have a wealth of potential trade chips this year. Duran is certainly the most sought-after name in this group, but the other three are valuable in their own right.
Make-or-Break Starts Now
The coming weeks will be crucial for deciding the postseason outlook for teams across MLB. The days and hours leading up to the trade deadline are arguably the most critical.
Some teams have already decided whether they’ll be able to contend this year. However, the trade deadline gives a much clearer picture of who will make a run for a spot in October.
The Yankees need to take this moment seriously. While the team has proved capable, coming off of a trip to the World Series in 2024, they are far from the only ones looking to make a push in the American League.
Currently, they are four games back of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East. The Jays have continued to improve throughout the year, and recently added Seranthony Domínguez from the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. The Boston Red Sox stand just one game back of the Yankees as well.
Elsewhere in the American League, the Tigers and Astros have narrowly outperformed the Yankees. The Mariners and Rangers could also go on runs to make things trickier in the AL Wild Card race.
With a variety of teams in striking distance and continuing to heat up, the Yankees need to fortify their roster.
The immediate effect of their trades for McMahon and Rosario has been positive. By continuing this trend and bolstering their pitching staff, the Yankees could easily find themselves back at the top of the American League by October.
While the trade deadline is a chaotic, unpredictable event each year, one thing is certain: The Yankees need to make some upgrades if they want to improve their chances of returning to the Fall Classic.
Written by