Former Rockies Star Provided Glowing Review of Ryan McMahon to Yankees

A former teammate spoke highly of Ryan McMahon to the New York Yankees before they acquired him.

Jul 26, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) hits a single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images

The Colorado Rockies made their first sizable move ahead of the MLB trade deadline last week.

Homegrown star Ryan McMahon was traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for two pitching prospects: left-hander Griffin Herring and right-hander Josh Grosz.

It could not have been easy for the Rockies to part with their long-time infielder, who was selected in the second round of the 2013 MLB draft out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California and has been a stalwart in their lineup ever since making his debut on Aug. 12, 2017.

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Alas, it was for the long-term benefit of the franchise, turning one of their solid trade chips into two potential pitching assets who can help the team down the road.

McMahon has gotten off to a strong start in his Yankees career, registering at least one hit in all three games with a .444/.583/.556 slash line in the early going with three RBI.

New York is certainly happy to have filled one of the voids in their lineup, with McMahon stepping right into the starting third baseman’s job.

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He will lengthen their lineup, providing some pop, while also playing some excellent defense at the hot corner.

Addressing the need, it was imperative for New York, and it sounds as if this trade got over the finish line in part because of a former teammate of McMahon’s.

As part of the background work that was done prior to making the deal, the Yankees spoke to some of the players who used to suit up with McMahon during his tenure with Colorado.

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Shared by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), one of those former teammates was DJ LeMahieu.

“The two played together in Colorado in 2017-18, and LeMahieu gave the Yankees a strong recommendation,” the MLB insider wrote.

LeMahieu’s tenure with New York didn’t end on a high note, as he was designated for assignment after struggling to make an impact.

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Injuries hampered his performance over the last few years, registering an OPS+ under 100 in three out of the last four campaigns.

Now 37 years old, LeMahieu is waiting for the right opportunity and will look for a team to sign with after the dust settles from the MLB trade deadline, seeking out a team that could use some infield help.

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