The New York Yankees’ infield needs a change. DJ LeMahieu has struggled, and Jazz Chisholm is not as strong a defender in the hot corner as he is at second base.
LeMahieu is reportedly not comfortable at third base at this point in his career, according to The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. However, he has shown no reason the Yankees should continue to cater to his needs. Chisholm is not a great defender at third base and is better suited to play at second base.
Chisholm has a plus-three outs above average at second base and a minus-three outs above average at third base this year. His bat has been much better than LeMahieu’s as well. It is puzzling why the Yankees are insistent on keeping LeMahieu in the lineup at all, let alone sacrificing quality infield play. However, it seems the Yankees are exploring a change, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The team, along with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs, is interested in Ke’Bryan Hayes.
“The Yankees, along with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs, have also expressed interest in Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes,” wrote Nightengale.
Hayes is a Gold Glove third baseman. His play at the plate has not been great, but even if it’s on par with LeMahieu, he would bring drastic improvement to the Yankees’ defense. Hayes is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $70 million extension, and the Pirates could be willing to trade him.
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There is also a chance that Hayes starts hitting better for the Yankees. Not only would he be playing on a team with winning aspirations, but his father, former Yankees World Series champion Charlie Hayes, thinks the Pirates are not developing his bat well, according to ESPN’s Michael Kay.
“Ke’Bryan Hayes is a defensive magician at third base,” Yankees play-by-play announcer Kay said on Jan. 15. “His hitting is not what it should be, but he’s obviously not happy in Pittsburgh. I talked to Charlie when the Yankees were in Pittsburgh a couple of years ago, and he was like scratching his head about some of the things they do in Pittsburgh with the hitters. Whatever the case may be, if I’m the Yankees, I’m calling the Pirates and go, ‘What do you want?'”
Chisholm was hitting .249 with the Miami Marlins when the Yankees acquired him. He hit .273 the rest of the season with the Yankees. This year, he is hitting .245, but has a .308/.380/.589 slash line in 29 games since returning from the injured list. Hayes is hitting .244 right now, so perhaps the Yankees could help him tap into some of his offensive potential.
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