With a little over a week until MLB’s trade deadline, it is time for teams like the New York Yankees to decide what kind of moves they want to make to solidify their roster. The Yankees are expected to make some moves in different trade markets. At the top of their needs list is a productive bat on the left side of the infield.
New York has seen their American League East lead disappear, and is now trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by four games. They have aspirations of getting back to the World Series, but they are not playing like they have a chance at the moment.
Yankees Pull off Blockbuster Deal With Royals
In what would be a blockbuster trade, the New York Yankees should consider calling the Kansas City Royals about their All-Star third baseman, Maikel Garcia. Garcia was named an All-Star for the first time in his career this year, and could be a good fit in New York’s lineup. This deal makes sense for Kansas City if they decide to go into sell mode. New York has been rumored to be in on Arizona Diamondbacks’ star Eugenio Suarez, but with a strong power surge from Suarez, Arizona may be reluctant to move him after all. However, this doesn’t change the fact that New York still needs a third baseman.
Through 99 games this season, Garcia is batting .293 with eight home runs, 26 doubles, and 18 stolen bases. He is a well-above-average hitter who would immediately improve the Yankees’ left side of the infield. He’s also yet to enter any contract years, so this is a player who could be the Yankees’ third baseman for years to come. In Garcia’s fourth MLB season, he has put everything together at the plate. His WAR is 2.7 this year, and after playing 157 games in 2024, Garcia has raised his batting average by nearly 60 points this season thus far. He is also seeing career-highs in on-base percentage and slugging percentage.
Would the Royals be willing to move on from a guy like Garcia? That’s unclear, but it wouldn’t hurt for the Yankees to at least inquire about what it would take to acquire him.
What Would Garcia Cost the Yankees?
The good news for the New York Yankees is that they have enough tradable capital to make just about any deal they’d like. Their top prospects are as polished as any, and they could move on from young pitchers like Cam Schittler and Will Warren.
A deal like this just hinges on what the Yankees value as the July 31st deadline rapidly approaches. Do they want to make a big splash in the starting pitching market, or address a need they’ve had all year in a third baseman? They could certainly try to address both, but that would be a hefty cost. But again, for a team like New York, it’s pretty much World Series or nothing, especially getting another MVP-caliber season out of Aaron Judge.
Regardless of whether they’re considering a deal for the Kansas City Royals’ third baseman, expect the Yankees to make some sort of big splash this deadline, as they kind of have no choice but to make a blockbuster-esque deal.
Yankees Trade Idea Sends Royals’ All-Star Third Baseman to Bronx