The Yankees’ middle-infield search has turned into a familiar kind of deadline puzzle: they need help, but the obvious names come with real baggage.
Anthony Volpe may be getting pushed aside quietly. Jose Caballero looks more like a utility piece than an everyday answer. And with rumblings that the Yankees could explore moving Jazz Chisholm Jr., Brian Cashman is staring at a situation that needs more than a quick patch.
That’s why the early buzz has centered on a few bigger names. CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals has been floated as a possible shortstop target, and The Athletic has suggested the Yankees could find a way to swing a deal for him. At second base, Luis Arráez of the San Francisco Giants has also been tied to New York, with fans hoping his contact bat could help steady an offense dealing with Aaron Judge’s absence and the strikeout issues that have come with it.
There’s a “pathway” for the Yankees to acquire CJ Abrams if they can put together a package involving George Lombard Jr. and Anthony Volpe.
(Via Jim Bowden) pic.twitter.com/YNDzRrGW6b
- Everything Yankees (@eyyankees) July 27, 2026
But both of those options bring serious questions.
Abrams has been one of the National League’s better hitters no matter the position, yet his work at shortstop has been rough. One post put it bluntly: “This fanbase makes me lose faith more everyday.
Abrams is literally in the 1st percentile at OAA (-11) with a -3 FRV and -5 DRS.
He can in fact be MUCH worse defensively at SS. https://t.co/2UOTpxQkjv
- Jacob P.M.🌔 (@JacobBSpeaks) July 27, 2026”
Arráez has his own issues. He has long been viewed as a poor defender, even if he has somehow turned into a positive with the glove this season.
The catch is that he’s been doing that with the Giants and with Ron Washington helping guide the infield. Whether that version of Arráez travels with him is the real question.
His bat comes with a built-in warning label, too. Arráez is a singles-heavy hitter who rarely walks and doesn’t bring much power, which means he has to keep running an elite batting average to stay valuable. This season, his actual production has outpaced his expected numbers by a wide margin, a sign that regression could be lurking.
If the Yankees want a different route, the answer may be in Miami.
Yankees going back to a familiar well in the Marlins to land Otto Lopez, Xavier Edwards would be brilliant
The Yankees and Marlins have already done business before, most notably when Jazz Chisholm Jr. came to the Bronx. So it would hardly be a shock if Cashman went back to that well again.
Joel Sherman believes the Yankees have reached out to the Marlins regarding Otto Lopez & Xavier Edwards.
He thinks the Yankees need to make the Marlins say “no.” pic.twitter.com/OI5yxlxqF0
- Everything Yankees (@eyyankees) July 27, 2026
That possibility makes even more sense given where Miami sits right now. The Marlins looked like deadline buyers after a hot June, but July has knocked them back into seller mode after an ugly 12-game losing streak.
Lopez would be the cleaner fit of the two. The 27-year-old has six outs above average and four defensive runs saved, and he’s giving the Marlins a strong glove at shortstop. He’s also hitting .328, which leads the National League as of July 26, and his .490 SLG and .168 ISO show he’s not just a contact-only profile.
Marlins are now on the worst losing streak in their franchise's 34-year history pic.twitter.com/armn8eSdbf
- Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 26, 2026
Edwards brings a different look. He’s not as flashy, but he’s a roughly average defender at second and his .289/.369/.402 line would give the Yankees the kind of contact and on-base ability they’ve been missing. His 11.7% walk rate adds another layer, making him more than just a bat-to-ball option.
Neither player would come cheaply. Both are under team control through 2029, and both are about to reach arbitration, which will push the price up. Still, Miami’s constant need to trim payroll keeps the door open.
For the Yankees, that may be the cleaner path. Lopez and Edwards would give them two-way help without forcing them to empty the farm system for a riskier name like Abrams. Cashman has a chance to solve a problem and avoid a bad fit at the same time.
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Instead, the Twins have taken those names off the board, leaving New York to keep scanning the market for alternatives. The Mets have become part of that conversation, with the Yankees at least exploring whether a deal for Tyrone Taylor or Luis Torrens could make sense, while interest in Francisco Alvarez comes with a steep asking price that makes any move there far from simple. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Lose Another Deadline Fit As Cashman Runs Out Of Time
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Lane Thomas, Jo Adell, Jorge Polanco and George Springer remain among the names in the mix, though none comes without some kind of drawback. With the deadline clock ticking, Cashman is left trying to balance urgency against fit, and the list of realistic targets keeps getting thinner as the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Deadline Buzz Points To A Rotation Move Fans Will Recognize
The trade deadline always has a way of pulling familiar names back into the conversation, and this one fits the Yankees usual search for pitching help. Seattles rotation depth gives other clubs a reason to ask around, and Emerson Hancock has the kind of profile that tends to draw interest: young, controllable, and still early enough in his career to fit a team looking beyond just the next few weeks.
For New York, the appeal is obvious because the front office rarely passes on a chance to add another arm if the price is right. The wrinkle is that the Yankees may not be alone, with Chicago also believed to be involved, which could turn a straightforward fit into a more competitive market before the deadline gets here. [Read more 🡒]