ESNP : difficult to disagree Yankees are linked to a $70 million….
Another infield bat would be useful for the Yankees. Ryan McMahon of the Rockies is a third baseman; is he GM Brian Cashman’s target?
For the New York Yankees, life is good at the moment. Despite Hal Steinbrenner, the team owner, wanting his salary to return to less than $300 million, the season’s performance thus far makes it difficult to disagree. With a 42-19 record as of June 4, the Bombers lead the American League East by 2.5 games. At the trade deadline, is Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies an object of general manager Brian Cashman’s desire?
ESPN’s Jeff Passan talked about what the Yankees could do to bolster their club for the stretch run in his early MLB trade deadline primer.
“What more could you want for when you have Juan Soto and Aaron Judge? Well, it would be good to have another explosive bullpen arm. A corner infield bat, perhaps? Actually, ((Ryan) McMahon would be a fantastic fit),” he remarked. “Aside from that, the Yankees appear extremely strong, and that’s before they receive what amounts to a megatrade: the return of AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole.”
Currently in his seventh major league season, McMahon has spent his whole career with the Rockies. In those four seasons, he has recorded 20 or more home runs. He is also striking.Through his first 250 plate appearances in 2024, he hit 284/.371/.470 with 10 home runs, 10 doubles, 34 RBI, and 29 runs scored.
Prior to 2022, the infielder inked a six-year, $70 million contract. According to Spotrac, the agreement pays him $12 million in 2024–2025 and $16 million in 2026–2027. It expires in 2027.
McMahon Would Provide the Yankees with the Most Needed Assistance
This season, the Yankees’ offense has been incredibly effective thus far. Leading the way are front-runners for the American League MVP Award, Judge and Soto. It has already been mentioned, though, that New York’s right side of the infield hasn’t been up to par.
Anthony Rizzo at first base and Gleyber Torres at second base are examples of this. On June 3, Jim Bowden of The Athletic stated that if performance doesn’t improve, the Yankees might think about upgrading before the deadline. Passan’s observation that McMahon was a “perfect fit” for the Bombers makes sense in this context.
McMahon is a third baseman first and foremost, but he also offers some defensive flexibility. Throughout his career, he has played 1,777.2 innings at second base and 450.2 innings at first base. Depending on the matchups that day, this could help Yankees manager Aaron Boone mix and match players around the diamond.
This Would Benefit New York Even After 2024
It is well known that Steinbrenner wants to see New York’s payroll reduced in the future, claiming that the amount they are now paying is “not sustainable.” If McMahon were added, the team might have a better chance of winning the World Series again. But it might also make it a little bit easier for the Yankees to reach their objectives in 2025 and later.
By year’s end, a number of players may be released from the Bombers roster. Among them are Torres and Rizzo, who will earn $31.2 million in total in 2024. In addition to possibly simplifying those choices, McMahon might insure seasoned third baseman DJ LeMahieu.
The Yankees would be able to attempt to set aside the required cash to keep Soto when the season ends if they had cost certainty on a proven big-league bat.
