The New York Yankees have a colossal hole at third base. Luckily, there is a potential solution to their woes at the hot corner.
New York was named as the best landing spot for veteran third baseman Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks by ESPN.
Suarez shares the National League lead in home runs (36) and boasts a 150 OPS+ that would rank second on the Yankees behind only AL MVP favorite Aaron Judge. Suarez’s OPS+ is an eye-popping 124 points ahead of current third baseman Oswald Peraza.
The Yankees are 56-45 and three games behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. But New York is well within striking distance of both Toronto and the AL-leading Detroit Tigers, who despite their 60-42 record have dropped eight of nine.
Why Are The Yankees A Fit For Eugenio Suarez?
ESPN insider Jeff Passan cited New York as a team that is “all-in” on winning the World Series, a function of its age, Judge’s record-setting season and the fact it was in the Fall Classic a season ago.
So even though New York is likely to target starting pitching and bullpen help, Suarez is the bat the club also needs to shore up its inconsistent offense.
“The good news for the Yankees is that they line up very well with what the Arizona Diamondbacks are seeking as they consider moving Suárez, the most coveted player on the market,” Passan wrote. “New York’s ability to develop starting pitchers with excellent minor-league numbers is near unmatched in the industry.”
Passan wrote rival clubs are anxious about the Yankees’ ability to turn those pitchers into productive major-league starters. But the Yankees also have potential impact, major-league-ready bats they could dangle to Arizona, who entered the year with the 22nd-ranked prospect base according to Baseball America.
“Spencer Jones has been the hottest hitter in the minor leagues since his promotion to Triple-A and looks like an impactful bat despite his strikeout issues,” Passan wrote.
What Other Third Basemen Are The Yankees Linked With?
As Passan referenced, Suarez is the best-available bat, and he is a rental, which means the Yankees may not want to pay the potentially exorbitant price Arizona is asking. The Seattle Mariners have been predicted to outbid the Yanks for Suarez’s services, and those two aren’t the only clubs linked to him.
Still, there are other third base options for the Yankees to target that would still be an upgrade over Peraza and Jorbit Vivas. Passan named Ryan McMahon of the Colorado Rockies, Ke’Bryan Hayes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Willi Castro of the Minnesota Twins, Jonathan India of the Kansas City Royals and many others as potential third base fits.
Passan also floated three New York Mets — Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Luisangel Acuna — as potential trade options, but we’ll believe a Yankees-Mets trade involving major leaguers will happen when we see it.
Still, Passan also referenced the Yankees’ need for pitching, and he confidently stated the Yankees will get it since they need it.
“The Yankees can turn their prospect capital toward pitching,” Passan wrote. “Enough arms are available that the Yankees will get help, and they need it, because wasting another historically great Aaron Judge season would be a shame.”
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