Yankees 2025 Trade Deadline Targets

Eugenio Suárez

Suárez is the best possible fit for the Yankees. Adding a big-time rental bat with power that can extend an already scary lineup is ideal. Suárez is having an amazing year so far, where he is hitting .250/.320/.569 with a wRC+ of 142 and 31 home runs, which is fourth in the MLB.

This is a big impact player who can lock down the hot corner for the remainder of this season with serviceable defense and well-above-average offense and power. Since Suárez’s contract is up at the end of the year, this leaves the Yankees with flexibility come season’s end and could potentially limit the package to acquire him.

Even though Suárez is a great fit for the Yankees, he is also a great fit for many other teams, which could increase his price tag. The challenge for the Yankees is giving a competitive offer that isn’t too much with a farm system that is on the weaker side.

Ryan McMahon

McMahon might be the second-best option for the Yankees to plug the hole at third base with some power and overall pretty solid defense. He does come with his concerns, mainly including whether he can produce away from Coors Field.

So far this season, McMahon is hitting .241/.358/.441 at Coors Field with eight home runs, which is very solid. But on the road he has been almost unplayable, hitting .189/.265/.324, which raises deep concerns on what he can be away from Colorado.

Nevertheless, he does have power upside with his average exit velocity (93.4 mph) being in the 95th percentile and could be another lefty bat who can take advantage of the short porch.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa

IKF is a familiar face that didn’t have the best Yankees tenure, but he has improved since his time in pinstripes. He can bring versatility and bolster the third base position with proven Gold Glove defense and a little below-average offensive production.

IKF is hitting .274/.318/.339 with a wRC+ of 84, which is a significant upgrade to what the Yankees are getting right now. He looks to bring a steady, small-ball presence, similar to that of DJ LeMahieu’s offensive production before he was released, with a better ability to field the position.

Ke’Bryan Hayes

Hayes can be another option that the Yankees could look at to lock down the position with some of the best defenders in the sport. The only problem with Hayes is that his availability and potential as a cheap option at the deadline is hindered by his lack of impact with the bat.

Hayes has always had potential given how hard he hits the ball. Yet he has still never lived up to his potential, which has been especially prevalent this year where he is hitting .238/.284/.293 and a 61 wRC+.

He has combated his lack of offensive production by being in the 99th percentile in OAA (+13) with platinum-level defense. He can be an option for the Yankees where they can get one of the best defenders in the sport with some potential for an offensive uptick following a change of scenery.

Interestingly, his dad, Charlie Hayes, used to play here and won a World Series title with the Yankees in 1996.

Who’s the Best Option?

Overall, looking at the third Base options, I believe that the Yankees should go Suárez or bust at the position. None of these other options will likely make an impact offensively and would only be a slight upgrade to what they have in-house with Oswald Peraza.

Suárez would be a match made in heaven, especially with Jeff Passan’s report that the Yankees could also look to acquire starter depth and a potential impact arm of either Zac Gallen or Merrill Kelly in the Suárez package.

This could be the move that pushes the Yankees over the top to make a deep run in October. It could make them the favorite to make it out of the American League, and it would hedge the loss of Clarke Schmidt.

Potential Reliever Options

Andrew Chafin

Chafin is a lefty that the Yankees can look to target with him being on an expiring deal on a team like the Nationals, who will be selling off rentals at this year’s deadline.

Chafin is a high-whiff reliever who could get big outs against lefties, which the Yankees desperately need. Last season, Chafin was in the 97th percentile in chase and 96th percentile in whiff, which would be vital in October if he can recapture that form.

So far this season, Chafin owns a 2.81 ERA in 16 IP, where he has 15 strikeouts and a 1.63 WHIP. He has a 3.40 career ERA in 524.1 innings and 570 strikeouts. Chafin can look to be a weapon against lefties with Tim Hill and close the door in games in October.

David Bednar

Bednar can be a huge addition to this ‘pen, as adding a strikeout rate like his (34.6%) can be great for the Yankees in high-leverage down the stretch. Bednar sports a K/9 of 12.66 and features a high-rising fastball to go with an effective split and curveball.

So far this year, Bednar has a 2.53 ERA in 32 Innings with 45 strikeouts and a 1.13 WHIP. Bednar has closer experience, which can add another iron in the fire in the late innings and can help lock down the seventh, eighth, or ninth with the duo of Luke Weaver and Devin Williams.

Ryan Helsley

Helsley may be the perfect arm for the Yankees to acquire for the back of in their ‘pen, but there is only one problem: the Cardinals need to be sellers at the deadline for this to be possible. As of now, the Cardinals are still in the mix for a wild-card spot, but if they begin to falter, the Yankees can look to acquire the flamethrower.

Helsley may be the piece the Yankees are missing in their bullpen, with him being in the 99th percentile in fastball velo, where he sits around 100 mph and has a slider that is so good that he throws it more than his fastball. He is another guy like Bedner where you can look to him in the late innings to get big outs.

Jhoan Durán or Emmanuel Clase

Brian Cashman and Co. have made it very clear that they are going to make big moves at the deadline, and I believe that either of these big-time closers could be the big trade that the Yankees make.

One of these two arms can make the Yankees have the best reliever trio in baseball, making a lockdown back of the bullpen that could scare teams in October.

So far this year, Durán has had a 1.66 ERA in 43.1 innings, 49 strikeouts, and 1.13 WHIP. He features some of the best stuff in the game, with his splitter being one of the best pitches in the game.

Clase has some pretty great stuff himself with a 100 mph cutter and a great slider that goes with it. Clase is rocking a 2.91 ERA in 43.1 innings, 42 strikeouts, and a 1.22 WHIP. Believe it or not, this has been a disappointing year so far for Clase compared to his 0.61 ERA from last year. Still, he’d be a welcomed addition to the Yankees’ bullpen.

Who’s the Best Option?

The bullpen is where the Yankees need to improve the most, and there are options out there to turn that weakness into a strength. This is a place where Cashman can make the big move and turn this bullpen into any hitter’s nightmare in October.

Though all of these options are good, one place that I put my trust in is the organization’s ability to evaluate pitching and get the most out of their arms. With this being said, the Yankees are in need of at least adding two arms at this deadline to seriously improve this part of the roster.

Potential Starter Options

Zac Gallen

The Yankees, as mentioned earlier, are linked to Gallen and are looking to acquire him in a trade package with Suárez and buy low on his stock. Before this season, Gallen was looked to be the ace of the Diamondbacks and one of the better starters in the league, but so far this season that has not been the case.

With the Diamondbacks looking like they are going to sell at the deadline, Gallen, who is on an expiring deal, will be expendable. So far this season, Gallen has a 5.40 ERA with 110 strikeouts in 115 Innings. These stats are definitely not ideal, but the Yankees can look to buy low on a guy who has a career 3.55 ERA.

Merrill Kelly

Kelly is another option that the Yankees could take if the D-Backs ask too much for Gallen. Kelly is a solid starter who can eat innings and add another quality arm that the Yankees will need in the back half of the year.

So far this season, Kelly has a 3.34 ERA in 116 innings with 113 strikeouts and a 1.05 WHIP. Kelly is a kitchen-sink pitcher who can bring depth and stability to the rotation down the stretch. He also has been consistently available most of his career, except missing a little time last season with a muscle strain. Other than that, he has consistently taken the ball every fifth day.

Sandy Alcantara

This is a spot where the Yankees can push the chips forward and really make noise if they can get a starter like Alcantara. He has historically been a Cy Young-level starter but has really struggled since coming back from Tommy John surgery.

This is a spot where the Yankees can again buy low on a guy who is struggling and work with him to get him back to being the pitcher he once was.

This season, Alcantara has pitched to a 7.22 ERA in 91 innings with 71 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.48. When looking at these numbers, fans who don’t know Sandy would be asking why the Yankees would want this guy at all. But he is a guy that, once he gets going, his stuff can be unhittable.

Before his injury, Sandy won the Cy Young in 2022, pitching to an ERA of 2.28 in 228 innings. That guy is still in the tank, and the Yankees are known to be able to fix pitchers when they get their hands on them.

Who’s the Best Option?

The Yankees should look to acquire a starting pitcher who not only eats innings for them but also looks to make an impact in the rotation. Similar to the relievers market, pitching is an area where Cashman can be trusted and can evaluate arms that can help the team.

The question will be what type of arm the Yankees can get with their system if they are also in need of a third baseman and multiple relievers as well.

July 31 will be a very important day in determining how far this Yankees team can go this season. We will see in the coming weeks just how willing Cashman and Co. are to push the chips forward and go all in for a World Series title.