Yankees Trade for Ryan McMahon and Amed Rosario Ahead of Deadline Push

The Yankees made their first big splash of this year’s trade deadline with the acquisition of Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies. That move was quickly followed by another trade, this time for Amed Rosario from the Washington Nationals.

Yankees Get a Third Baseman

This season, after Oswaldo Cabrera went down with an injury, the Yankees relied on a platoon of Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas at third base. This came after they attempted to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to third, but the defense suffered significantly with Jazz out of position and DJ LeMahieu playing second base.

As of this writing, Peraza has a slash line of .152/.212/.241, resulting in a .451 OPS. His OPS+ is a dismal 26 (with league average set at 100). His wRC+ also sits at 26, reflecting his severe struggles at the plate. While he was initially getting playing time due to his defense, even that has been subpar, with an Outs Above Average (OAA) of 1, ranking 17th among all third basemen.

In contrast, Ryan McMahon brings stellar defense, currently ranking 6th in all of baseball in OAA. Offensively, he’s having a down year by his standards, with a slash line of .218/.316/.402, good for a .718 OPS and an OPS+ of 93. While slightly below average at the plate this season, his top-10 defense at the hot corner makes him a clear upgrade. McMahon’s presence improves the Yankees on both sides of the ball.

Yankees Add Depth

Following the acquisition of a full-time third baseman, the Yankees added more infield depth by trading for Amed Rosario. While Rosario has been underwhelming defensively this year, he’s been a different player at the plate against left-handed pitching. In 87 at-bats against lefties, Rosario has posted a .299/.333/.483 slash line, good for an .816 OPS and a 134 OPS+.

Rosario’s versatility—he can play three infield positions—will help give Anthony Volpe some rest and allow McMahon to sit against tough lefties when needed.

What’s Next for the Yankees?

With two trades that didn’t significantly deplete their farm system, the Yankees have patched key holes while still retaining the capital to pursue their biggest remaining need: pitching, particularly in the bullpen.

The Yankees’ bullpen currently ranks 22nd in team ERA at 4.32. Among playoff contenders, only the LA Dodgers rank lower, and they’re expected to be aggressive at the deadline. The Yankees will need to follow suit if they hope to make a deep postseason run.

Stay tuned for more Yankees game recaps, injury updates, and player breakdowns all season long.