When the Yankees pulled the trigger on the trade for Ryan McMahon at the deadline last summer, the book on him was simple: elite glove, questionable bat.
Months later, that assessment feels less like a scouting report and more like a prophecy. McMahon arrived in the Bronx and immediately turned the hot corner into a no-fly zone, providing the kind of Gold Glove defense that pitchers dream about, but his offensive output flatlined the moment the honeymoon phase ended.
The numbers don’t lie, and frankly, they are ugly.
In his 54 games wearing pinstripes, McMahon slashed a meager .208/.308/.333, managing just four home runs and a .641 OPS. For a player who hit 16 homers in Colorado before the trade, that power outage is alarming. He solidified the infield, sure, but in a lineup that needs length behind Aaron Judge, McMahon often felt like an automatic out in the bottom third of the order.
A Defensive Savior for Ground Ball Pitchers
Despite the offensive woes, Brian Cashman isn’t suffering from buyer’s remorse, largely because McMahon did exactly what he was brought in to do defensively.
The Yankees’ rotation, anchored by ground-ball specialists like Max Fried and Carlos Rodon, desperately needed a vacuum at third base, and McMahon delivered. He saved runs, turned difficult double plays, and stabilized an infield defense that had been shaky for years.
Cashman acknowledged this value recently, noting, “Maybe we can unlock some things. I was excited he was one of the productive players in our postseason run this year on both sides of the ball and certainly makes our pitching staff better, especially when you have ground ball guys like Fried and Rodon and all those ground balls going to that side of the field. So I think he was a good get.” It is clear the organization values the floor he provides, but they are keenly aware that the ceiling remains untouched.
The “Short Porch” Blueprint for 2026
The frustrating part for fans—and likely the front office—is that McMahon’s swing is tailor-made for Yankee Stadium, yet he hasn’t figured out how to abuse it yet.
The left-handed slugger has the raw power to crack 30 home runs if he can just learn to pull the ball consistently into the right-field seats. Too often last season, we saw him roll over on pitches or strike out swinging, evidenced by a whiff rate that hovered in the danger zone throughout his tenure.
Cashman didn’t shy away from the critique, adding, “But are there areas to improve upon? Sure. And we look forward to seeing if we can.” That “improvement” hinges entirely on plate discipline and launch angle. If the Yankees’ hitting lab can get McMahon to cut down the strikeouts—which spiked to nearly 39% during his Bronx stint—and hunt pitches he can drive to right, the offensive metrics that crashed back down to earth could skyrocket.
Looking Ahead: A Gamble on “Potential”
The Yankees are betting that a full offseason in their system can unlock the version of McMahon that hits 25-30 homers while playing elite defense. It is a gamble, especially for a team with World Series expectations that can’t afford a black hole in the lineup. If McMahon figures it out, he becomes one of the most valuable two-way third basemen in the league; if he doesn’t, the Yankees might be forced to look for an upgrade sooner rather than later.
There is a world where McMahon becomes a fan favorite in 2026, launching “porch jobs” and diving into the stands for foul balls. But that future requires him to make significant adjustments at the plate. The glove is ready for October, but unless the bat catches up, Ryan McMahon risks becoming a luxury defensive replacement rather than a championship cornerstone.
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