Yankees may be walking into a massive trade-deadline mistake

With the MLB trade deadline just weeks away, the New York Yankees’ lengthy search for a much-needed, yet elusive, third baseman should be coming to a close. Yankee fans will surely be excited for just about any news on that front, assuming New York acquires a new infielder; however, not every move the Yankees are considering is worthy of applause.

One target in particular the Yankees have inquired about according to MLB insider Jon Heyman is Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon. The Yankees showed interest in McMahon last season as well, though the Rockies didn’t budge.

McMahon earned his first All-Star appearance last summer with a spectacular first-half, but slid dramatically during the second-half, culminating in a slash line of .242/.325/.397 with 20 home runs and seven outs above average according to Baseball Savant. It wasn't his best year but it was still respectable. Since 2019, McMahon has ranged from 20-24 home runs a year, outside of the shortened 2020 season.

20 home runs a year, plus defense, average to above average slash line; what’s not to like? Unfortunately, McMahon is having a 2025 season to forget, hitting .213/.314/.377 with 12 home runs. In addition, his once-Gold Glove-caliber defensive metrics have been declining every year since 2021, posting three outs above average this season. 

But that isn’t all.

McMahon has the advantage of hitting in the Mile High City, where baseballs frequently travel far from home plate. Last season, McMahon’s home-away splits were very similar. However, over his career, he has been a much better hitter at home; and this season is no exception. Below are his 2025 home-away splits:

The Colorado effect seems to have greatly influenced his numbers. But wouldn’t his 20+ home run power make a bigger difference in New York given his left-handed bat and the Yankee Stadium short porch? According to Baseball Savant, this isn't so, estimating he would have hit 11 home runs in the Bronx, one less than his total so far this season.

Still, in the end, the idea is to make an improvement. Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman has always been frugal, picking up buy-low candidates at rock-bottom prices even if it meant the improvements were merely incremental. 

In his current shape, McMahon would be an improvement over Oswald Peraza, but in a head-to-head comparison with DJ LeMahieu, the declining former batting champion may still have the edge, at least for this year. At the moment, it appears McMahon would only add to the Yankees’ bottom-of-the-order woes rather than solve them and is therefore a risk that no contender aiming for a World Series should take.