The Yankees’ best path out of the Ryan McMahon mess may come down to one blunt reality: they might have to pay to move him.
McMahon has been a major disappointment since Brian Cashman brought him over from the Rockies at the 2025 trade deadline, and the Yankees are now staring at a third-base problem they can’t keep patching over. His bat never came around, and even the glove that once made him appealing has slipped enough that he no longer looks like a reliable everyday option for 2027.
Last season, McMahon hit .213/.279/.357 with a .635 OPS, 76 OPS+, 11 home runs, 41 RBI and a 0.0 bWAR in 124 games. Across 178 games as a Yankee, he has produced just a 1.1 bWAR. That kind of return simply doesn’t cut it for a starting position player, especially at a spot the Yankees need to upgrade before next season.
The catch, of course, is the money. McMahon is still owed $16 million on the final year of his deal in 2027.
But one league source believes there is still a route for the Yankees to find a trade partner if they’re willing to absorb part of that salary. The source said they’re “probably” willing to do that.
That would make sense given how badly the Yankees need a reset. They can’t afford another season like 2026, and McMahon was a major part of those struggles.
Even his defense, which has long been his selling point, didn’t hold up. He finished 2026 with 0 Outs Above Average and -3 defensive runs saved at third.
Without that elite defensive value, McMahon doesn’t bring much to the table right now. Even if the Yankees have to eat half of his salary, that would still be a win if it clears the way for a better option.
Internally, Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero are on the list, but the Yankees should still be looking beyond what’s already in the room. There are no legitimate starting options on the roster at the moment.
For now, the Yankees are sticking with Cashman as GM and Aaron Boone as manager for at least another year, so the fixes have to come through the roster. Third base is one of the clearest problem spots, and if they can find a deal, they should push hard to move McMahon and start over there. The position has been an issue ever since Gio Urshela left, and the Yankees have already shown they’re willing to absorb money to clean things up, as they did with Josh Donaldson and DJ LeMahieu.
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