On Wednesday, ahead of the game between the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, the Yankees finally decided to cut ties with infielder DJ LeMahieu. LeMahieu had been with the Yankees since 2019 and was a two-time AL Silver Slugger in New York, as well as a AL Batting Champion in 2020. LeMahieu was one of the top contact hitters in the sport and will be looking for a new team for the first time since the end of his Colorado Rockies tenure in 2018.
Now that he is no longer with the Yankees, New York will need to replace him. This is a team that has World Series aspirations once again, and they desperately need to find a third baseman who can play defense. There is a player for the Pittsburgh Pirates that the Yankees have already had discussions about, and he could be a great trade candidate as the MLB Trade Deadline approaches on July 31.
Third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes is on the trade market for the Pirates. The Yankees, Cubs, and Tigers all need a third baseman and could inquire about Hayes for the rest of this season and long term.
Hayes is a tremendous defensive third baseman. He won the 2023 Gold Glove Award over players like Nolan Arenado and Manny Machado. Hayes currently has a .983 defensive fielding percentage, which is among the top in the National League.
The Yankees have seen enough struggles at the third base position with Jazz Chisholm there, so they recently moved Jazz back to second base. Hayes could come in and lock down the hot corner, which is something the team desperately needs.
The right-hander needs to improve at the plate, as he is batting .240 with two homers and 29 RBIs in 312 at-bats. However, at Yankee Stadium, Hayes can quickly improve his slugging percentage and OPS. His OPS is not great, at .586 for the season.
It might be time for a change of scenery for Hayes, and the Pirates are not close to being a playoff contender. Hayes has a friendly deal and is locked up until 2031.
