The New York Yankees have a clear need at second base, and potentially third base, too.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. will make his return to the Yankees’ lineup on Tuesday night when they take the field against the Cleveland Guardians, and there are rumors that manager Aaron Boone may play him at third for the time being.
If Chisholm becomes the Yankees’ starting third baseman for the foreseeable future, that leaves unproven players like Jorbit Vivas and Oswald Peraza, as well as aging veteran DJ LeMahieu, as the everyday options in the middle infield next to shortstop Anthony Volpe. As the deadline nears, the Yankees’ front office may seek out a trade to upgrade their offensive production at second base.
AL East Leading Yankees Could Show Interest in Former Shortstop
If the New York Yankees decide to ride out most of the season with Chisholm at third base, the American League East club has to pivot its attention to the right side of the infield.
Paul Goldschmidt is the clear starting first baseman, so that’s not an area of need. Instead, a second baseman like Pittsburgh Pirates utility infielder and former Yankee Isiah Kiner-Falefa could make some sense.
On Monday, SNY’s Andy Martino examined the Yankees’ current players and the reps Chisholm received at third base during his rehab assignment at Double-A Somerset.
“Jazz is getting reps at third base during his rehab stand,â SNY’s Andy Martino said on Monday.
âIf Chisholm gets more ⦠third base experience than he had last year ⦠the Yankees have that many more options (via trade). They can acquire a third baseman, then they can acquire a second baseman, (or) they can acquire a guy who moves around the infield.â
Kiner-Falefa can be the player who moves around the infield for the Yankees. With the Pirates in 2025, the 30-year-old has 47 appearances at shortstop and one appearance at third base. From 2022 to 2023 with the Yankees, Kiner-Falefa logged innings at shortstop, third, and second base, as well as all three outfield positions.
Kiner-Falefa’s Fit With Yankees
Kiner-Falefa is a free agent at the end of the 2025 season after signing a two-year, $15 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays before the start of the 2023 season.
New York Yankees fans recall that Kiner-Falefa does not hit for much power, having hit just 10 homers in 255 games with New York, and he’s hit just one this season in 178 plate appearances with the Pirates.
However, the Yankees would not require him to be a slugger, just more of what he’s done at the plate this year. The eight-year veteran is slashing .303/.350/.388 with a 106 OPS+, 13 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in 11 attempts.
Ex-New York Mets general manager Zach Scott also spoke on SNY on Monday about the Yankees’ infield situation. He kept thinking of Kiner-Falefa when evaluating potentially available players, specifically right-handed hitters who can play in the infield, for which the Yankees could trade at the deadline.
âI took a look at the potential market,â Scott said.
âIt doesn’t look great. Maybe third base is a little better than second, but the guy that I kept coming back to is IKF with Pittsburgh (Pirates). Maybe coming back to the Yankees, he could fit. He’s having a good season.â
Moving Chisholm back to third base may indicate that the Yankees’ organization feels better about their chances of acquiring a second baseman at the deadline, or they feel more confident about their defense with him at third base over other options.
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