The New York Yankees are tied for the best record in baseball entering Thursday's action, and the team does not appear to have many holes. However, that does not mean the Yankees will merely sit back on their laurels between now and the July 30 MLB trade deadline.
The Yankees are typically always one of the most active teams in baseball in trade discussions. Not just at the deadline, but year round. Taking that into consideration, it would be hard to imagine general manager Brian Cashman not diligently working the phones.
Plus, New York appears to be very close to winning its first World Series title since 2009. This team is fantastic, and you would think Yankees brass would want to ensure it does everything in its power to give the team the best possible chance of hanging another banner.
The Yanks are knocking on the door, but other clubs—like the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers—are not just going to roll over. They may make moves before the deadline to improve their respective rosters, as well, so so the Yankees need to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak.
Here are three early MLB trade deadline targets for New York.
Ryan McMahon, third baseman, Colorado Rockies
Rumor has it that the Rockies are not all that interested in moving Ryan McMahon. At least not right now.
That could obviously all change over these next several weeks, particularly if a team like the Yankees comes along and makes an intriguing offer. McMahon is under contract through 2027, so he would certainly be expensive, but it might be worth it for New York.
If there is one area the Yanks need to shore up, it's their corner infield. DJ LeMahieu just returned from a foot injury that had been sidelining him since spring training, but he hasn't looked great early on, and if we're being honest, he really isn't been all that good since his monster 2020. Oswaldo Cabrera did an admirable job filling in at third base over the first couple of months, but when he plays every day, you see his warts. Anthony Rizzo has also been subpar at first base (more on that in a bit).
McMahon is slashing .278/.366/.457 with 10 home runs and 34 RBI over 259 plate appearances this season, and for those worried about the Coors Field effect, he has actually been better on the road (.305/.385/.500) than at home. He has also been terrific at third base, boasting a 5.8 UZR/150 and 2 DRS.
The 29-year-old is definitely having a career year with the bat, as he owns a lifetime OPS of .758. But it's not like McMahon has ever been a bad hitter, and he is so good defensively that you can live with his rather pedestrian offense (for the course of his career, anyway; this year, his bat has clearly been good).
I'm really not sure how much longer the Yankees want to live with the LeMahieu/Cabrera tandem at third base (and Jon Berti, who is currently out with a calf injury). While the top half of New York's batting order is lethal, the last few spots in the lineup are rather questionable. McMahon's presence would quickly change that.
Tanner Scott, relief pitcher, Miami Marlins
The Yankees have already been linked to Tanner Scott multiple times this season, and with the Marlins essentially out of the race and already trading off Luis Arraez, you have to figure that they aren't done dealing.
Scott's contract expires at the end of this year, making him an obvious trade candidate for a Miami franchise that has been prone to firesales. The lefty will probably be the best relief pitcher on the trade market, as he boasts a 1.50 ERA over 24 appearances. Through 24 innings, he has allowed just 13 hits while registering 25 strikeouts. Last year, he pitched to the tune of a 2.31 ERA while surrendering only 53 hits and fanning 104 hitters across 78 frames.
The 29-year-old began his big-league career with the Baltimore Orioles and spent four seasons there, but didn't really break through until he got to the Marlins (although his first season in Miami in 2022 was shaky).
The biggest downside to Scott is his astronomically high walk rate, as he lays claim to an alarming 7.1 BB/9 this season. His stuff has been good enough where he has been able to pitch around it, but it would obviously be more ideal if that number falls more in line with his 2.8 BB/9 rate in 2023 (although he owns a rather high career average of 5.2 BB/9).
The Yankees actually have a terrific bullpen, ranking second in the majors in ERA. However, you can never have enough relievers, and New York can certainly use another left-hander in its pen. Caleb Ferguson and Victor Gonzalez currently represents the club's only lefty relievers. Ferguson has a 5.80 ERA, and while Gonzalez's ERA is a much more manageable 3.24, his 5.66 FIP and dangerously low strikeout rate (0.78 K/9) indicates that a regression is coming.
Josh Bell, first baseman, Miami Marlins
Why not try to get a couple of players from the Marlins?
The Yankees could certainly stand to upgrade first base, as Rizzo has been less than stellar this season. He owns a .651 OPS and has not homered since May 10. He also has just three RBI since then, making for somewhat of a dead spot in the Yankees lineup (and he bats sixth, so more toward the middle of the order).
You may be thinking that Josh Bell doesn't look that much better with his .716 OPS, but he has been raking for more than a month now.
Bell slashed .311/.365/.466 in May and already boasts a 1.158 OPS through four June games, so really, his stat line has been largely marred by a horrific month of April. Last season, Bell slashed .247/.325/.419 and totaled 22 home runs and 74 RBI. He came over to the Marlins at last year's trade deadline and posted an .818 OPS in 53 games with the Fish.
The 31-year-old is an expiring contract, so the Yankees would have no obligation to him after this season. Bell is also a switch hitter and historically hits almost equally well from both sides off the plate, sporting a lifetime .805 OPS against righties and a .768 OPS versus lefties.
Bell would almost certainly not be too expensive, and based on the way Rizzo has been going, he would represent an upgrade. The downside, of course, is that Bell is not very good defensively, but it's not like Rizzo is going to be winning any more Gold Gloves, either. The Yankees may be alright trading the slight downgrade in defense for a potentially significant uptick offensively.
