The New York Yankees could make a bold move to replace Ryan McMahon at third base, just a year after acquiring him.
New York traded for McMahon at last year’s trade deadline. However, he has struggled at the plate, and the Yankees could very well look to add another third baseman in a trade. If the Yankees do end up trading for a third baseman, the team will have options. MLB analyst Stephen Parello of FanSided urges the Yankees to acquire Isaac Paredes from the Houston Astros.
“The Houston Astros might not have truly wanted to trade Isaac Paredes over the offseason, but they soon arrived at the fact that it was their best option,” Parello wrote. “The 27-year-old was engulfed by the rumor mill all the way through spring training. Ultimately, the Astros never found the value they sought. Things could be very different by the trade deadline. Christian Walker has started the year hot, and if he keeps it up it’d be easier for them to part with Paredes.
“Houston’s pitching staff has been awful and is starting to get bitten by injuries, setting them up to potentially be knocked out of the race by midseason. Paredes would be the best possible player the Yankees could acquire come July, though he’d require a notable financial commitment through 2027. That, plus the Astros’ asking price, could scare the Yankees off, but if they’re serious about rectifying their mistake, Paredes is the move to make.”
Paredes is a two-time MLB All-Star, and if he is indeed made available, the Yankees should be all over him. To begin the 2026 MLB season, Paredes is hitting .208 with 0 home runs and 6 RBIs, as he has struggled at the plate.
Astros Could Trade Paredes
Paredes could be a free agent at the end of the season, as he has a $13.35 million club option for the 2027 MLB season. However, whether or not the Astros will pick that up is uncertain, and if they don’t want to, trading him seems likely.
Paredes’ name was mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason, yet the Astros ended up holding onto him. Ultimately, Houston opted not to move him, and during spring training, he opened up on the rumors.
“This is where I thought I was going to be the whole time. So let’s just see what happens,” Paredes said. … “I only control what I do on the field. That’s the part I’m focused on. Whatever they’re going to do, that’s out of my control.”
The Astros acquired Paredes from the Chicago Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade. In his first year at Houston, he hit .254 with 20 home runs and 53 RBIs.
Yankees Not Giving up on McMahon Yet
McMahon is a glove-first infielder, but he has struggled in his Yankees tenure.
McMahon has struggled at the plate to begin the season. But Yankees manager Aaron Boone has made it clear he isn’t giving up on the veteran.
“I still stand by him. He’s got a lot of talent and a lot of ability. He’s working on some things right now that are taking hold,” Boone said. “Obviously, he’s a work in progress.”
The veteran third baseman is hitting .119 with 0 home runs and 2 RBIs this season. He’s a one-time MLB All-Star.
Yankees Urged to Make Bold Trade for All-Star Third Baseman to Replace McMahon