Yankees Backup Plan? Why Latest Trade Buzz Makes No Sense For New York

The New York Yankees have one of the worst third base situations in baseball. They’re forced to play prospect Jorbit Vivas in the starting lineup on most nights, and he’s hardly a big league infielder at this point in his development.

The Bronx Bombers need to add a postseason third baseman with pop. Just Baseball’s Giovanni Panicola recently suggested they could acquire Colorado Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.

“McMahon might be the second-best option for the Yankees to plug the hole at third base with some power and overall pretty solid defense. He does come with his concerns, mainly including whether he can produce away from Coors Field,” Panicola wrote. “So far this season, McMahon is hitting .241/.358/.441 at Coors Field with eight home runs, which is very solid.

“But on the road, he has been almost unplayable, hitting .189/.265/.324, which raises deep concerns on what he can be away from Colorado. Nevertheless, he does have power upside with his average exit velocity (93.4 mph) being in the 95th percentile and could be another lefty bat who can take advantage of the short porch.”

This idea makes next to no sense for the Yankees.

As Panicola notes, McMahon struggles outside the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field in Colorado. If the Yankees acquire McMahon, he won’t be hitting at Coors Field anymore, so it would be safe to assume he’d continue to struggle.

While the Yankees are desperate for an answer at the hot corner, it wouldn’t make sense to go after a player like McMahon. Home and away splits like he has are no accident. He benefits from the altitude at Coors Field and struggles elsewhere. The short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium wouldn’t be enough to make him a star Yankees infielder.

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