The New York Yankees‘ still-ongoing slump is reaching angst-inducing levels, and former team beat writer and MLB insider Buster Olney has a solution.
The ESPN reporter stated the team should acquire infielder Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants, a three-time batting champion and two-time Silver Slugger, to upgrade their slumping offense.
The Yankees have lost nine of 10 and are 4-13 in their past 17 games, falling four games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East — they were ahead by 3.5 games as recently as June 17.
Buster Olney: The Yankees Should Acquire Luis Arraez
The Yankees rank 25th in the majors in team batting average (.235), despite their .727 OPS, and have fallen to 10th in the league in runs amid their stretch without captain Aaron Judge and superstar slugger Giancarlo Stanton.
Yet, Arraez is arguably the best overall hitter in the league and could give some much-needed contact to a lineup that is tied for fifth in strikeout rate (23.6%).
“Their offense needs a jolt,” Olney said on “Unsportsmanlike” on Monday. “Even after you get Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton back, [Arraez] would be perfect, because you could bat him behind Aaron Judge, you could compel opposing teams to pitch to Judge because of Arraez’s bat-to-ball skills that he has.”
Arraez only has four home runs this season but has again been an elite hitter. He’s batting .326 and has an OPS of .823 and has 46 runs scored despite playing for the offensively deficient Giants, who rank 25th in the majors in runs scored (364).
Arraez can play both first and second base and is only signed through this season at $12 million, meaning he could be had in a trade for cheap. The Giants (37-52) have third-worst record in the National League and are going to sell at the 2026 trade deadline.
Plus, Olney noted how he would help even out their right-heavy lineup.
“A left-handed hitter at Yankee Stadium,” Olney said. “You can’t go wrong.”
‘The Concern is Real’ With the Yankees Right Now
The Yankees have been consistently streaky under manager Aaron Boone.
In 2022, they had a 12-game lead on Aug. 1 that dwindled to 3.5 by Sept. 9, before they won the AL East and went to the ALCS.
In 2023, they were 11 games over .500 — after winning a series at Dodger Stadium — before a freak Judge injury unglued their season. Last year, they went 20-30 over a 50-games span before finishing tied for the AL’s best record with the Toronto Blue Jays.
So surely there are Yankees fans who are brushing off the current slump as another run of inconsistent play under Boone. But Olney thinks those who feel bona fide angst are justified.
“There concern is real,” Olney said. “This is not merely a blip. They have to start playing better. They have to have better focus.”
Judge, the two-time reigning AL MVP who has won three of the past four awards, has not played since May 31. The Yankees are 13-17 without him, and aside from their offensive struggles, they rank 28th in the majors in unearned runs against (51) this year.
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