The New York Yankees are expected to be in the market for an infielder at this year’s trade deadline. After releasing DJ LeMahieu, they could specifically be looking for a third baseman.
LeMahieu’s release coincided with Jazz Chisholm Jr. moving back to second base. The Yankees’ options at third base now include Oswald Peraza, Jorbit Vivas and J.C. Escarra. Those options do not provide much offensively as is, so the Yankees could swing a trade to even further better their defense if no good hitters are available at the position.
The third base market could actually have a few names the Yankees may be interested in. CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa tabbed Ke’Bryan Hayes, son of Yankees World Series champion Charlie Hayes, as a fit.
“Hayes, 28, is a fantastic defender, maybe the best defensive player in baseball at any position, though his bat has not come around,” wrote Axisa. “He’s signed through 2029 at an average of $8 million per season, which is long-term but relatively low-cost. A team that believes it can unlock Hayes at the plate — even a league-average hitter would be incredibly valuable with his glove — figures to pursue him aggressively at the deadline. Whether the Pirates are open to moving him is another matter.”
Earlier this year, Charlie Hayes reportedly told ESPN’s Michael Kay that he is not too fond of how the Pirates have gone about developing his son’s bat. Perhaps the Yankees could bank on trying to get his swing right, but at the very least, they would be getting a controllable Gold Glover, who is still slightly better offensively than their internal options.
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Hayes is slashing .241/.288/.297 this season. However, since the start of June, he is slashing .273/.298/.336. His bat is trending in the right direction, and perhaps playing for a winning team could give him the boost he needs to unlock his offensive potential. Regardless, he would solidify the Yankees’ infield defensively, which would be a huge help to the team.
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