The New York Yankees have had a successful season despite much of their offensive firepower not performing at a high level.
Superstar right fielder Aaron Judge, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton and others have missed substantial time, while catcher Austin Wells, infielder Jazz Chisholm and third baseman Ryan McMahon have disappointed.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic was asked in a mailbag on Friday whether catcher or third base is more pressing a need. in the offseason. His answer was emphatically third base.
Kirschner urged the Yankees to shed McMahon’s contract and find a new solution at third.
Why Third Base Instead of Catcher for the New York Yankees?
Kirschner believes that while Wells has had a rough season offensively, his defense and work with pitchers show his value. He believes that Wells could have a rebound season in 2027 if he catches fewer games, preserving his legs.
However, Kirschner believes that third base “is a problem with no good solution”.
“McMahon is under contract next year for $16 million,” Kirschner wrote. “Good luck getting any club to take on that salary. It is still unbelievable that the Colorado Rockies did not eat even a dollar of his contract when they traded him to New York last year. I wasn’t a fan of the move at the time, and I’m less of a fan now.”
McMahon has never been even a league-average offensive producer. In 2026, his bat has completely hit a wall, and his defense has regressed. In 118 games, McMahon is slashing .210/.275/.346 with 10 home runs.
According to Baseball Savant, McMahon still sports a respectable +3 Outs Above Average. However, this is the lowest that number has been since the 2020 season.
The Colorado Rockies drafted McMahon in the second round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of high school. He would play nearly a decade with the Rockies before they traded him to the Bronx in 2025.
It’s been a disaster for the Yankees since, and it’s time to move on.
How Do They Remedy This?
Moving on from McMahon is easier said than done. Not only will it be hard to unload his contract to another team, but it will be hard to find a replacement.
“It has reached the point where Boone must consider alternatives, but each has flaws,” Kirschner wrote. “Caballero is not a good hitter, but he can run into a pitch now and then. He’s also a capable defender and provides speed on the bases. Rosario has been a lefty killer in his career but has struggled this year. He’s borderline unplayable defensively, though. Volpe has limited experience at third base; he played a handful of games there this season in the minors. He can hit lefty pitching, but it’s unclear whether he can handle the position defensively.”
It doesn’t sound like Kirschner is confident in the Yankees’ internal options. However, a free agent signing might be the best course of action. While the impending CBA nightmare will affect a lot of things in the offseason, international signings could theoretically happen before the lockout.
The Yankees have been heavily linked to Japanese phenom third baseman Teruaki Sato. Since it’s been reported that the top Japanese players will be posted in early November, the Yankees can get a head start on their free agent class before the expiration of the CBA.
While McMahon’s contract is pretty hefty, the New York Yankees must shed it somehow to improve their team in the offseason.
Yankees Urged to Move On From Former All-Star Infielder in Offseason