Ryan Garcia
The New York Yankees have scuffled at the plate during the summer, as the club is enduring another inexplicable slide mid-season that has a chance to completely decimate their odds of winning the AL East.
As the club continues to battle the Rays in a crucial four-game set at Tropicana Field, Brian Cashman’s people are getting ready for what will be an eventful trade deadline.
When the MLB Draft comes and goes in the next week, the trade deadline will be top of mind for all 30 MLB clubs, and Luis Arraez is expected to be moved during this summer’s transaction window.
Buster Posey’s San Francisco Giants have been a catastrophe in 2026, but Arraez has been one of the best signings of the winter and should fetch the club a solid return.
With the Yankees having some offensive issues, would the three-time batting champion fit Brian Cashman’s vision for how the 2026 team should be built?
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Could the Yankees and Giants Make Sense as Deadline Partners?
The San Francisco Giants informed teams that they were open for business as they quickly plunged out of serious postseason contention, with 3B Matt Chapman on the trade block.
A wide net is being cast, as the New York Yankees were among the many teams contacted by Buster Posey’s front office regarding his big-money infielders.
I do not expect the Yankees to take on over $100 million in salary for a 33-year-old who recently hit the injured list due to an abdominal strain, but there are other potential fits in the infield who could be notable.
Acquiring a firmly underwater contract such as the ones currently being paid out to Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, or Rafael Devers is likely too much of a negative trade asset for the Yankees to seriously consider.
Luis Arraez, who has seen notable improvements in his defense, could be a strong fit with his 132 OPS+ on the season and vastly improved defense.
New York is just 17th in OBP (.316) and 26th in K% (23.6%) as a team, and Arraez would certainly improve both of those marks if added to the lineup.
Brian Cashman and Buster Posey made a buzzer-beater deal at last year’s deadline when Camilo Doval went to the Bronx, and my impression is that San Francisco does like some of the pitchers in NYY’s organization.
It’s unclear whether the Yankees would go after Arraez, who would likely take over at second base for Jazz Chisholm, who Brian Cashman noted was “part of the solution” for them in the offseason when asked about trading him.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported during the winter that teams had called on Chisholm, and while the Yankees are always open-minded to all possibilities, they didn’t seem particularly motivated to trade the 2025 All-Star.
A more versatile bat such as Casey Schmitt would likely be the Yankees’ preferred pick, as he’s a name that they’ve displayed some interest in, according to people familiar with the team’s thinking.
Schmitt is under contract for three more seasons after 2026 and has played all four infield positions alongside the corner outfield for the Giants this season.
His .792 OPS from the right-handed side would be perfect for the Yankees’ lineup, but it’s unclear whether the San Francisco Giants would even entertain trading a pre-arbitration infielder with a good offensive skillset.
New York would love to add some more flexibility to their roster, as the team acquired Amed Rosario and Jose Caballero last trade deadline for this very purpose.
Kody Clemens was a name the team inquired about last summer as well, so it would be interesting to see if they revisit that, especially after he hit two bombs in his most recent visit to the Bronx last weekend.
The Yankees have been in freefall offensively since Aaron Judge hit the injured list, and their current priorities lie in making sure they have a good enough record to even justify an all-in buy at this year’s deadline.
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