The New York Yankees are attempting a rather strange experiment in Spring Training.
When the New York Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon at last year's MLB trade deadline, they did so knowing that he would provide a massive defensive upgrade at the hot corner.
McMahon is one of the best defensive infielders in baseball, and he flashed plenty of that leather in 2025 by posting a plus-10 DRS and plus-6 OAA.
But could the Yankees actually move McMahon off of third base in 2026?
Aaron Boone revealed on Wednesday that New York will actually give McMahon some reps at shortstop in Spring Training, a position he has played all of three innings in his major-league career.
McMahon has handled plenty of second base, but he has barely manned shortstop, so Boone's decision to experiment with him there is definitely striking.
The Yankees will be rolling with Jose Caballero as their starting shortstop heading into the season while Anthony Volpe recovers from shoulder surgery. Volpe is expected back early in the year, but there is no question that New York is a bit frustrated with his lack of production.
That being said, it seems hard to imagine that putting McMahon at shortstop would be a permanent move for the Yanks. This appears more like a way to get Caballero some days off while Volpe is still on the shelf.
New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon. Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images.The Yankees do have a couple of other options to play shortstop in Amed Rosario and Oswaldo Cabrera, but Rosario is a terrible defender and Cabrera might not even make the big-league roster.
McMahon slashed .208/.308/.333 with four home runs and 18 RBI over 185 plate appearances in the Bronx last season. On the 2025 campaign overall, he slashed .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI across 401 trips to the dish between the Colorado Rockies and the Yankees.
The 31-year-old is under team control through 2027 and is slated to earn $16 million in each of the next two seasons.
McMahon has been viewed as an offensive liability in New York, especially at a premium position. But his defensive utility is extraordinarily valuable, especially if he proves he can play shortstop, as well.
We'll see if anything comes from this. More than likely, it will only result in McMahon playing a couple of games at short, at most.
Yankees Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Yankees. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.