Even with the emergence of prospect Jorbit Vivas and the quietly stellar defense of Oswald Peraza, the New York Yankees may need to add a third baseman.
The first-place club in the American League East lost Oswaldo Cabrera for a considerable amount of time after the utility player suffered a fractured left ankle in a game against the Seattle Mariners earlier this month.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on Sunday that the Yankees seek a right-handed hitter who can play third base, so there’s the belief that they’ll make at least one move before the Major League Baseball trade deadline on July 31.
“The Yankees are aggressively searching for a right-handed bat, preferably a third baseman, while also looking for another starter,” wrote Nightengale.
Who might that third baseman be?
Angels Could Be Sellers at Trade Deadline
Even after going on an eight-game win streak, the Los Angeles Angels remain in fourth place in the AL West, 5.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for first place.
The Angels’ star outfielder, Mike Trout, is on the injured list, and the club will have to outperform contenders like the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, and Cleveland Guardians for one of the three Wild Card spots.
Former Chicago White Sox star Yoan Moncada is playing third base for the Angels on a one-year, $5 million contract, indicating the 30-year-old will be a free agent at season’s end. He’s performed relatively well at the plate in 27 games, with five home runs, a .467 slugging percentage, and 122 OPS+ in 106 plate appearances.
How Moncada Could Benefit Yankees
CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson listed the New York Yankees as one of three clubs that may be interested in Moncada’s services. The other two were both National League Central clubs, the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.
“It’s to be seen if the Angels fall far enough from the race to consider selling off pieces. I’m including Moncada here because I’m skeptical about Los Angeles’ chances (based both on their roster and their run differential),” wrote Anderson. “He’s having a heck of a rebound season, hitting the ball hard and on a line while drawing his share of walks.”
Moncada, MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 overall prospect in 2016, might not be the Yankees’ top external option at third base for the second half of the year. Still, he’d be cheaper than other candidates like Nolan Arenado or Rafael Devers.
Moncada’s switch-hitting would help balance the Yankees’ lineup, and his presence would also allow players like Peraza to fill in at second base when needed. That’s of course, until Jazz Chisholm Jr. returns from the oblique tears he suffered a month ago against the Baltimore Orioles.
Potential Trade Package
Since the Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees are two clubs in vastly different situations, New York acquiring Moncada for half a year shouldn’t cost them much. They could also easily let him walk in free agency at the end of the year if his performance on the field turns out to be subpar.
In recent years, the Angels’ organizational focus has been drafting and developing pitchers. In 2021, they used all 20 of their draft picks on hurlers.
That’s why Yankees’ farmhand and No. 10 prospect on MLB Pipeline, right-handed pitcher Cam Schlittler, may be enough to sway the Angels. Opponents are batting .243 against Schlittler in nine games (eight starts) at Double-A Somerset this season, and he’s struck out 58 batters in 48 innings. The 24-year-old is projected to make his MLB debut in 2026.
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