The New York Yankees are 32-20 and atop the American League East as we approach June. But this is not a team without flaws.
The most glaring of which is at third base, where the Yankees refused to address the position with a veteran acquisition this offseason, as was the hope by many fans. Oswaldo Cabrera won the job in spring training, but his gruesome leg injury has left New York even thinner.
24-year-old Oswald Peraza has seen more time there, and his glove is certainly good enough to at least earn opportunities. But a .167 batting average, a .560 OPS, a 58 OPS+, and 20 strikeouts to six walks through his first 72 at-bats are not going to cut it this summer.
Peraza has been a highly touted prospect, entering the spotlight during the 2022 American League Championship Series as a shortstop. However, this 2025 campaign has been nothing new at the plate. Over 304 career at-bats, Peraza is batting just .204 with a .600 OPS and a 68 OPS+.
In an ideal world, he can come off the bench as a left-side infielder or be dangled as a trade piece for a desperate team looking for defense and youth.
Yankees in Search of a Third Baseman
The New York Yankees have legitimate World Series aspirations, even without ace Gerrit Cole, and while they need more starting pitching, third base should be the priority for Brian Cashman and company over the next couple of months.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today had this to say on New York’s approach:
“The Yankees are aggressively searching for a right-handed bat, preferably a third baseman, while also looking for another starter.”
The most obvious solution is St. Louis Cardinals’ future Hall of Famer Nolan Arenado, who meets both of Nightengale’s qualifications. However, Arenado is risky for several reasons. First of all, the Cardinals have shown no signs of dealing Arenado so far this season and would likely require a steep package for the 34-year-old.
Arenado is also not the batter he once was. He is still an elite defensive third baseman, but a .234 batting average, .684 OPS, 91 OPS+, and five home runs are not up to his standards. Father Time is taking his toll on Arenado, and with three years, $52 million still owed on his contract, he does not necessarily line up with the Yankees’ dreams.
Other Possible Options
Another potential option for New York is Philadelphia Phillies’ third baseman Alec Bohm. As a pending free agent, Bohm is far more expendable. While the Phillies are also thinking about October, they could use another outfielder, and perhaps a Trent Grisham-centered deal would entice them.
After a slow start to the year, Bohm has found his groove and is currently batting .272 with a .692 OPS and a 92 OPS+. No, these are not earth-shattering totals, but they represent a significant upgrade over Peraza’s production at the plate. Bohm is also a capable defender and has familiarity with big-city, high-pressure environments.
Should the Yankees stick with internal options, we will see either D.J. LeMahieu or Jazz Chisholm Jr. (once healthy) man the five. This feels like the most Cashman thing to do, and as enticing as a trade may seem, this is probably the smartest approach.
Assessing Candidates to Fill Yankees’ Hole at Third Base