Yankees Concerned About Top Trade Target

The New York Yankees are well-positioned to make a run at one of the top players available at this year's trade deadline, but they're not totally convinced he's a perfect all-around fit.

According to The Athletic's Jim Bowden, the Yankees are a bit worried about Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez's defense, which in turn could lead to the club canvassing the market for other options at the hot corner.

"In terms of third base, they’ve been linked to Eugenio Suárez of the Diamondbacks, but there is concern about his defense," Bowden wrote.

There's merit to New York's uneasiness in this case, as Suárez has logged -5 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -5 Outs Above Average (OAA) through 835 2/3 innings this season, which rank as the second-lowest and lowest totals, respectively, among all qualified players at the position.

Suárez was among the league's elite defenders as recently as 2023, when he posted 12 OAA for the Seattle Mariners, so perhaps he can kick it into gear in short notice.

The Yankees haven't played the most fundamentally-sound brand of baseball over recent seasons, though, which could make Suárez an imperfect target for the club based solely on his struggles in the field this year.

Regardless, he remains far and away the best third baseman up for grabs at the deadline, and New York might be able to overlook his below-average defense due to how much he provides at the plate.

Suárez, who was named an All-Star for the second time in his career this season, has slashed .257/.328/.605 with 36 home runs, which is tied with Aaron Judge for the second-most in the league behind Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.

Adding Suárez to the lineup would do wonders for the Yankees and could help them get back on track. There's plenty of competition for the 34-year-old's services, however, and even though he's a rental, the price it'll take to pry him away from Arizona will be sky-high.

Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more!

• Yankees One-Stop Shopping Pirates?
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Linked To Red-Hot Reliever
• Yankees Linked to Former Outfielder in Juicy Trade Rumor
• Yankees in Mix for Pirates All-Star Pitcher
• Yankees Trade Rumors: All-Star Closer On The Market?