The New York Yankees probably won't be able to repair this problem.
The New York Yankees have certainly gotten off to a strong start, as they are 4-1 heading into their Wednesday afternoon matchup against the Seattle Mariners.
The Yankees' starting rotation has been absolutely phenomenal, and that's with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon both on the shelf. The bullpen has allowed just one run, and Giancarlo Stanton has been tearing the cover off the ball.
However, one problem still persists for New York: Ryan McMahon's bat.
McMahon is hitting just .071 with seven strikeouts over 16 plate appearances this season, and his lone base hit was a seeing-eye single.
Small sample size, yes, but let's also remember that this is the same McMahon who slashed .208/.308/.333 across 185 trips to the dish with the Yankees last season, and he has historically always been a poor hitter away from Coors Field.
So can New York really live with McMahon's offense at third base?
Well, the thing is, it might not have a choice.
The Yanks acquired McMahon from the Colorado Rockies at last year's trade deadline, knowing full well he was under contract through 2027. McMahon is making $16 million each of the next two years, so moving him will prove difficult.
New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.It's also not like the Yankees have any internal options to replace him. Amed Rosario mashes lefties, but he is a platoon player. He is also terrible defensively. George Lombard Jr. is a shortstop, and he isn't ready for the majors just yet, anyway.
New York could try and pursue a trade for another third baseman, but that would require unloading McMahon, and again, that won't be easy.
Fortunately, the 31-year-old is a tremendous defensive player, so he does bring value in that department. But the Yankees are probably stuck with his bat.
To be clear, every team in baseball has a weak link somewhere. You generally just don't want it to be at the hot corner, which is typically a power position. Plus, New York also has issues at catcher and shortstop.
Can the Yanks live with McMahon, Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe (once he returns) all in the lineup? And what if Trent Grisham regresses, too?
I think the Yankees' lineup is fine as a whole. Stanton, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm comprise a terrific part of the order, so they can compensate for the lack of production elsewhere.
But if McMahon continues to provide little to nothing offensively, it's going to become a problem, and it's one New York might not be able to solve.
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