The Yankees have work to do after their ALDS sweep at the hands of the AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays, and the easiest path back to contention may not come through free agency. With a thin offensive market available, New York could be forced to mine the trade market instead, and Houston has a few names that fit the bill.
The clearest target is Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena. After the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension, Pena could be on the move if Houston decides not to keep the homegrown shortstop.
He will be a free agent after next season, which gives the Astros a reason to deal him now rather than risk losing him later. For the Yankees, he would be an immediate upgrade and the kind of addition that changes the shape of the lineup.
A deal would likely begin with George Lombard Jr., but New York has the financial room to keep Pena for the long haul. A lineup built around Judge, Pena, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger and Luis Garcia Jr. could contend for a World Series title, and if Pena is available, he should sit at the top of the Yankees’ wish list this offseason.
If Pena doesn’t happen, Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes is the fallback. Third base has been a trouble spot for the Yankees for years, and Paredes would address that directly.
Houston is expected to pick up his $13.35 million club option for 2027, a figure that would be easy enough for New York to absorb. Paredes is coming off a strong year in which he hit 25 home runs, drove in 94 RBI, posted an .806 OPS and finished with a 4.0 bWAR in 155 games.
The Yankees shouldn’t part with Lombard or Spencer Jones to get him, but they do have other trade chips, especially in their young pitching depth. Even if he only spends one season in pinstripes, Paredes would be a major upgrade over Ryan McMahon at third.
Not every Astros infield name belongs on the Yankees’ board, though. Christian Walker is another possible trade candidate, with Houston potentially looking to move the final year of his contract at $20 million in 2027.
He was once a logical Yankees fit, but that no longer looks like the right move. Walker will be 36 next season, and his recent production doesn’t justify the cost: a sub-.300 on-base percentage and just 2.3 bWAR combined over the last two seasons.
He still brings power and defense at first base, but New York already has Garcia and Rice there. At this point, Walker doesn’t make much sense for the Yankees.
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For the Yankees, the fit is obvious enough to at least imagine what it would look like if Houston ever decided to move in a different direction. There have been no reported negotiations between the clubs, and any real movement would hinge on roster strategy and contract math, but Paredes stands out as the kind of player who could change the equation at a position where New York has not gotten enough offense. [Read more 🡒]