The New York Yankees are once again staring down a familiar problem: a lack of pop from their infield as the season heats up.
With the trade deadline approaching in late July, the Yankees will need to find ways to inject more offensive firepower.
They’ve gotten by thanks to strong pitching and a few red-hot bats, but the corners of their infield remain a concern.
Eugenio Suarez could be the bat that reshapes the Yankees’ infield
If the Arizona Diamondbacks fall out of playoff contention in the coming weeks, Eugenio Suarez becomes a name to watch closely.
The 33-year-old third baseman is in the final year of his eight-year, $79 million deal and hitting like a man in a contract year.
Suarez owns a .251/.323/.569 slash with 25 home runs, 67 RBIs, and a 141 wRC+ — strong marks across the board.
He’s not going to wow anyone with plate discipline, walking at just a 6.6% clip with a 25.7% strikeout rate.
But when Suarez connects, it matters — he ranks in the 90th percentile in barrel rate and 89th in hard-hit rate.
Suarez’s defensive profile comes with trade-offs
The glove isn’t a strong suit for Eugenio Suarez, and that will come into play if the Yankees explore a trade.
He’s logged over 658 innings at third base this year with a .953 fielding percentage and -3 outs above average.
It’s not disastrous, but it’s a notable drop-off compared to elite defenders at the position — or even average ones.
Still, the Yankees need offense at third base more than glove work, especially with DJ LeMahieu’s inconsistency.
At this stage, LeMahieu might be best used as a utility piece rather than penciled in as a regular starter.
A trade could cost the Yankees a prized young asset
Acquiring Suarez won’t come cheap — especially if Arizona decides to maximize his value during a strong offensive season.
One name that might be discussed is Yankees prospect Spencer Jones, who carries legitimate upside as a future regular.
Giving up Jones would be painful, but a team in win-now mode sometimes has to sacrifice long-term value for short-term results.
This isn’t just a patch — Suarez could offer a meaningful power boost during the playoff push and October battles.
If the Yankees want to avoid fading down the stretch, this is exactly the type of calculated risk they need to consider.
Will Brian Cashman pull the trigger?
With the lineup top-heavy and injuries always looming, the Yankees can’t afford to stand pat if third base stays quiet.
Power at the hot corner has been an Achilles’ heel, and Suarez’s bat could balance things out in a meaningful way.
The question now is whether general manager Brian Cashman is willing to pay the price to take another swing.
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