The New York Yankees are bolstering their third base position by acquiring Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies in a trade first reported by MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. In return, the Yankees are sending two pitching prospects, left-hander Griffin Herring and right-hander Josh Grosz, to Colorado.
The Rockies, struggling with a league-worst 26-76 record, are on track for one of the worst seasons in MLB history. McMahon, a 2024 All-Star, is in the fourth year of a six-year, $70 million deal, with $16 million owed annually for the next two seasons before he hits free agency in 2028.
This season, the 30-year-old McMahon is batting .217/.314/.403, with 16 home runs, 15 doubles, and 35 RBIs in 100 games. Despite leading the league with 127 strikeouts, he’s on pace for his fifth consecutive season with 20 or more home runs. Last year, during his All-Star campaign, he hit .242 with 20 homers, 28 doubles, and 65 RBIs. His best season came in 2021, when he posted a 4.0 WAR with 23 homers, 32 doubles, and 86 RBIs in 151 games.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, saying before a game, “We’re really excited. He’s been an All-Star third baseman, a really good defender. He’s had some offensive ups and downs this year, but he’s been swinging well lately. He’s a presence at third and has been for years.” Boone also highlighted McMahon’s offensive potential and prototypical third-base skills, noting, “He moves really well and has that ideal third baseman look.”
Drafted by the Rockies in 2013 out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, McMahon debuted in 2017 at age 22. Over nine seasons and 1,010 games with Colorado, he has a .240 average, .743 OPS, 140 home runs, and 452 RBIs. Defensively, he’s played 696 games at third base with a .968 fielding percentage, along with stints at second base (244 games), first base (70 games), designated hitter (seven games), and shortstop (two games).
This season, he’s played 100 games at third with a .978 fielding percentage, and in 2024, he led the league in assists (323) but also errors (15) at the position.
The Yankees plan to rely on McMahon’s glove at third, allowing Jazz Chisholm Jr. to return to second base full-time. This move likely removes New York from contention for Eugenio Suarez. Boone emphasized the defensive boost, stating, “With McMahon and Anthony [Volpe], we need them to play to their potential. If they do, our defense becomes a strength. We’ve had moments where we haven’t played well defensively, but there’s no reason we can’t be a really strong defensive team moving forward.”
Source: Yahoo!Sports
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