Yankees fans want to see a change at third base by the Trade Deadline

06/28/2024 08:30 AM

DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera aren't cutting it.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in New York Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

There is nothing going so well that it can't be improved upon, and it's that mindset the Yankees carry into this trade deadline. Sure, the offense still ranks at top in the American League, despite the recent swoon, but there are certain spots falling well below expectation. So, we asked Yankee fans which position would they most like to see upgraded.

Anthony Rizzo, Gleyber Torres, and DJ LeMahieu were at one point deemed as reliable choices to handle these three positions, and none of them have played up to their capabilities in 2024. Rizzo is on the 60-day IL, and LeMahieu is struggling as much as any veteran in the entire sport at the moment.

While I'm sure in an ideal world the fans would like to see multiple of these positions upgraded, over half of the voters chose third base as the first position to improve.

There is one feasible option when it comes to the market for a third baseman trade as Ryan McMahon is having a career year for the last-place Rockies. McMahon, who is signed through 2027, is owed $44 million between 25-27 and will likely require a hefty outlay to pry from Colorado, especially as the Rockies hold some leverage with a lack of options on the market. The third baseman is setting career-high marks across the board in average (.277), OBP (.356), and SLG (.476). McMahon also leads his team in homers (14). The issue, as always, will be the mystery of the Colorado front office.

Don't look now, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa with all his versatility has a 107 OPS+ for the Toronto Blue Jays, who look primed to sell at the deadline. It's a seller's market, ladies and gentlemen.

Now, on to the MLB-wide surveys:

The Say Hey Kid was certainly the most impactful defender in this five-player poll, and with six-40 homer seasons, his bat carried enough thump to complete arguably the most outstanding career ever.

Only Henry Aaron made the All-Star Game in more seasons in the history of the sport, one more than Mays' 20.

Mays' other accolades also include 12 Gold Gloves, a Rookie of the Year award, one batting title, two MVP awards, and four times leading the league in homers. Baseball lost one of its true icons as the Giants legend passed away recently at 93 years of age.

Carrying on with the theme of Mays and Aaron dominating some of these leaderboards, they also had according to this poll the two most iconic moments in the sport.

That over-the-shoulder catch on skill alone would've been a memorable moment for one of this game's greats, but the stakes of it all only served to elevate its place in baseball history. With the score tied at 2-2 in the opening game of the World Series in 1954 between the New York and Cleveland, Mays held the score there and helped the Giants go on to win the game and the Series in a shocking sweep.