The New York Yankees could be in the market for an infielder at the trade deadline. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been playing third base, but the team could move him back to second base if they can find a star to man the hot corner.
Chisholm has been fine at third base, but it’s hard to argue that he is better defensively there than at second base, where he started the season. Meanwhile, DJ LeMahieu has been playing at second base and is not a great defender. LeMahieu is slashing .277/.365/.400, which is far better than many expected. However, it has been a small sample size, and his health is hardly reliable.
The Yankees may be better suited defensively if Chisholm were at second base, and LeMahieu may be better suited as a bench player if he starts to regress again. If LeMahieu continues to produce offensively, the Yankees may be content with their current infield alignment and avoid trading for an infielder.
However, if the deadline nears and LeMahieu starts to play like he did last two seasons, the Yankees will need to make a move. Empire Sports Media’s Andres Chavez suggested the team trade for Eugenio Suárez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“It makes perfect sense,” wrote Chavez. “Suarez has already clubbed 18 home runs and posted a 117 wRC+, meaning he’s been 17% better than the league average offensively. He’s not just a slugger; he’s a proven contributor, having tallied between 3.5 and 4.3 fWAR in each of the last three full seasons. His .224 average and .298 OBP are a bit underwhelming on paper, but he is much, much better than the other infield alternatives in the Yankees lineup. He makes pitchers nervous. He brings the threat of damage every time he steps to the plate.”
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He has hit 294 career home runs. That alone could make him worth it for the Yankees, even if LeMahieu keeps playing well. Adding Suárez, moving Chisholm to second base and moving LeMahieu to the bench would improve the Yankees’ bench and defense as a whole. He has an OPS of .796 and a lineup with him, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton could become a problem for other teams in a hurry.
The Diamondbacks have an uphill battle to make the postseason. They are in fourth place in the National League West and will have to try and turn things around without their ace, Corbin Burnes, who is out for the year after Tommy John surgery. Suárez is signed to a seven-year, $66 million deal and is playing on a $15 million club option this year. If the Diamondbacks decide to be sellers, Suárez, who is a free agent this winter, could be the first to go.
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