Yankees acquire infielder Ryan McMahon.
The Rockies acquire right-handed pitcher Will Warren and outfielder Brandon Mayea.
“I think this trade makes a lot of sense for both sides,” Bowden stated in his review of the transaction. “McMahon would be an ideal candidate to become the Yankees’ future third baseman. The suggested return is reasonable market value in my opinion, but if I were the Rockies, I’d try to include Oswaldo Cabrera as a fourth player in the transaction.”
According to MLB.com, Warren (seventh) and Mayea (ninth) are New York’s top ten prospects. They’re at opposing ends of their minor league careers. Warren is on the verge of the majors at Triple-A, while Mayea is an 18-year-old in Rookie Ball.
The Yankees have already been linked with McMahon.
Previous sources have indicated that the Bombers are willing to upgrade their infield ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. Much of it has been centred on first and second base. However, getting McMahon and placing him at third base would be a significant boost to manager Aaron Boone’s offence.
This is not the first time the Yankees and McMahon have been mentioned in trade rumours this month. On June 4, ESPN’s Jeff Passan made the connection in his early MLB trade deadline primer.
“When you have Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, what else do you need? Well, another powerful bullpen arm would be ideal. Perhaps a corner infield bat? (McMahon would be an excellent choice, honestly),” he remarked.
The left-handed batter is having a great year at the bats. He is hitting.In 336 plate appearances, he hit 277/.353/.476 and had 14 home runs, 42 RBI, and 42 runs scored. If the season concluded on June 28, his OPS of.830 would be a career high.
He’d also be appealing to the Yankees due to his contract situation and positional versatility. He inked a six-year, $70 million contract that will last until 2027. According to Spotrac, McMahon will make $12 million in 2024 and 2025, followed by $16 million in 2026 and 2027.
Most notably, his luxury tax compensation is just $11.67 million. This type of contract would serve to reduce New York’s future payroll, which is something team owner Hal Steinbrenner desires. McMahon has also played at least 400 innings at first, second, and third base since making his major league debut in 2017.
The Rockies are not planning to make McMahon available.
As with any conceivable trade proposition, it takes two to tango. If the Yankees are serious about pursuing McMahon, Cashman must put together a deal that persuades Colorado to consider letting him go.
“Despite plenty of rumours and speculation, there is nearly zero chance the Rockies will move ‘RyMac,’ who has a chance to be a first-time All-Star this summer,” the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders wrote on June 24. “Why? The Rockies prefer the left side of their infield, which includes McMahon and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. And because owner Dick Monfort adores McMahon. Furthermore, McMahon is under contract until the 2027 season, when he will earn $16 million at the age of 32. “The Rockies believe McMahon’s contract is team-friendly.”
Of course, “nearly zero” does not equal “zero,” so the Rockies may reconsider. There’s about a month till the trade deadline. A lot can happen between now and then, depending on how the market evolves.
Even though a deal is doubtful, it’s clear why McMahon is a strong fit for the Yankees. Cashman will most likely make some phone calls in the coming weeks to see if anything changes with the Rockies’ deadline preparations.
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