The Yankees got off to a good start, but soon the momentum shifted. What seemed like a minor hiccup at third base turned into a nighttime worry. And the front office noticed right away. What did they do? They traded for Ryan McMahon, a mainstay with the Rockies, to bring some balance to the defensive woes.
Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas have been trying to fill the void at third base. But just trying hard won’t fix a defensive hole that’s hurting a team that wants to make the playoffs. The Yankees needed help—a glove that works, a stabilizer. McMahon might be the answer to their problem. Not only did the Yankees want him, they needed him. And now they have him. Everyone has one question: When will he make his debut in the Pinstripes?
Aaron Boone, the manager, has the answer to it. Recently, on Friday, he said, “Ryan McMahon is available to make his Yankees debut tomorrow.” McMahon is set to play for the Yankees on Saturday after missing Friday’s game against Philadelphia. It’s the first chance for fans to see the player the team hopes will fix their third base issue.
Boone says Ryan McMahon is available to make his Yankees debut tomorrow, per @ChrisKirschner pic.twitter.com/scTyXKIJnU
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 26, 2025
The trade for McMahon happened right when the rumors about the trade deadline got louder. A few teams were interested in the 30-year-old infielder, but the Yankees moved quickly. They gave up two pitching prospects, Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz, and took on the rest of McMahon’s salary in return.
McMahon’s deal is perfect: around $12 million for the rest of 2025 and $16 million in both 2026 and 2027. This gives NYY a cost-effective, long-term answer. His numbers are great, too. In 350 at-bats, he hit 217/.314/.403 with 16 home runs. However, his defense is what matters. This year, he saved four runs on defense and has accumulated 64 Defensive Runs Saved in his career, with exceptional Outs Above Average since 2021. He’ll make things better in the long run.
Looking at the stats, it’s evident why that trade was an important one. All season long, the Yankees’ third base has been a defensive problem. They have made 52 errors in 102 games through the end of July. This is a high number and has made their defense even worse.
The skipper is happy with the trade, too. When asked about Ryan McMahon’s addition, Boone showed praise for him, saying, “The handful of times that we’ve played against them that I watch him, you’re like, ‘That’s what it should look like over there.”
Addressing third base was very important, but it was only one part of the Yankees’ deadline issue. The Yankees need to focus on their pitchers now that they’ve tried to solve their woes at third base. So, who are they focusing on?
Yankees hunt for arms
The Yankees got Ryan McMahon to play third base, but that’s not the only problem they need to fix. They need better pitching. As of late July 2025, the Yankees’ bullpen had an ERA of about 4.28 and a WHIP of about 1.317, which put them 23rd in the league for relief effectiveness.
TAMPA, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 28: Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees throws a warm up pitch in the second inning during a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 28, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
The Yankees’ pitching staff is in trouble because injuries to Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil, and Ryan Yarbrough’s delayed returns have made rotation problems worse. Sources close to the front office say that adding to the rotation and the bullpen is now the top priority before the trade deadline on July 31.
According to whispers from BTS, they are likely to go for Mitch Keller and relievers like David Bednar or Dennis Santana. These are names that may help a tired bullpen or the back end of the rotation.
The McMahon trade gives the Yankees some breathing room, but they need to improve their pitching if they want to make the playoffs. Adding one or two solid pitchers to the team, along with better defense in the infield and more depth on offense, would significantly improve their chances of making the playoffs.
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