3 Yankees Who Must Be Replaced Before July Ends: The Usual Suspects Stand Out

It's time to find some upgrades as the MLB trade deadline approaches on Monday, Aug. 3.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman will have many decisions to make before the trade deadline, which includes finding some much-needed replacements for this trio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Life is about to get busier for the Yankees now that July is here.

The second half of the 2026 MLB season features this year's draft and the annual All-Star Game right off the bat, all before the entire baseball world turns into a frenzy before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. General manager Brian Cashman is under a lot of pressure after the Yankees' poor end-of-June performance, giving him every reason to ensure that his club hits the ground running in July.

Cashman should be doing whatever it takes to ensure that manager Aaron Boone is in a position to succeed each night. With the trade deadline around the corner, the Yankees should have plenty of opportunities to make some much-needed upgrades, whether that's a new bat or arm for the rotation.

As Cashman & Co. search for potential help, these three Yankees are at the biggest risk of being replaced with a trade acquisition before July finishes.

1. Austin Wells, C

It's hard to think about the Yankees' trade deadline needs without catcher immediately coming to mind. New York's situation behind home plate has been undesirable since Opening Day, and while J.C. Escarra and Ali Sánchez haven't been perfect, Austin Wells is the face of the club's backstop woes.

Austin Wells's performance this season has missed the mark, as far as Yankees fans are concerned. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wells only batted .219 with a .712 OPS in 126 games last season; however, his career-high 21 home runs and 71 RBIs helped Yankees fans overlook any shortcomings. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case this season. The 26-year-old catcher's offense has been nonexistent more often than not, entering Tuesday's action with a .155/.255/.238 slash line, four HRs, 10 RBIs and a 27.1% strikeout rate in 56 contests.

Twelve games played in June isn't a big sample size, but it's enough to close the chapter on this book. Wells only batted .061 with a .152 OPS in his first dozen games of the month, striking out 11 times in 33 at-bats without drawing a single walk. His defense and pitch framing are still elite, yet that doesn't matter much to the Yankees if his bat is an automatic out more often than not.

The cons outweigh the pros here, giving the Yankees every reason to explore potential catcher upgrades in the coming weeks.

Potential targets: Hunter Goodman (Rockies), Ryan Jeffers (Twins), Christian Vázquez (Astros)

2. Anthony Volpe, SS

Shortstop is still one of the Yankees' top concerns after a quiet June showing from Anthony Volpe.

Heading into the last game of the month, Volpe batted a quiet .239 with a .310 slugging percentage and .635 OPS in 23 games (71 at-bats). He didn't register a single home run all month, recording five RBIs and nine walks, all while striking out 17 times. He was also caught stealing on two of his five attempts, adding another way that he disappointed New York fans.

Volpe's performance only worsened as June continued, tallying only one hit in his last 17 ABs before Tuesday's clash vs. Detroit. That's a stretch with a putrid .059 batting average on top of a .175 xBA, according to Baseball Savant, hammering home how Volpe has been even worse than expected.

Anthony Volpe has been a Yankees headache all season long. It's time for him to be replaced. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It'd be one thing if the Yankees had a viable in-house replacement option, but they don't at the moment. José Caballero was the starter when Volpe was away earlier this season, but the former's performance has trailed off with each passing game. Ryan McMahon, who's injured, doesn't exactly inspire confidence, while top prospect George Lombard Jr. is still waiting for his first MLB test run.

In other words, the Yankees' best bet to find an in-season Volpe upgrade will come through the trade market. They'll have to act fast, though, as the middle of the infield is a big need for multiple playoff contenders.

Potential targets: CJ Abrams (Nationals), Jeremy Peña (Astros), Isiah Kiner-Falefa (Red Sox)

3. Jasson Dominguez, OF

Jasson Domínguez's season has been a wild ride, from starting the year in the minors to having his campaign temporarily derailed by injury once he finally reached the big leagues. Although the Yankees' former top prospect has had some solid moments—including three home runs and four stolen bases on as many attempts—his overall performance hasn't been good enough.

In his first 24 games (86 ABs), Domínguez slashed .209/.253/.395 with a 35.4% hard-hit rate and .304 rOBA that are below the MLB averages of 39.8% and .292, respectively. He isn't qualified for Baseball Savant's percentiles yet; however, his 28.4% whiff rate, 3.1% barrel percentage and 36.2% chase rate prove that the Yankees should seek an upgrade. That isn't to say that Domínguez doesn't have a future in the Bronx—it's just that New York needs better results on the hunt to end the 17-year World Series drought.

The good news for the Yankees is that replacements are on the way. The outfield will, hopefully, see the returns of Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham sooner rather than later, bumping Domínguez and Spencer Jones out of the starting lineup and back to the bench, if not to Triple-A.

If the Yankees aren't comfortable with Domínguez as a bench bat, they can also seek affordable veteran targets or rentals on expiring deals before the trade deadline. A plan like that would allow New York to hold onto its top prospects while improving Boone's lineup, even if it isn't a blockbuster shake-up.

Potential targets: Jake McCarthy (Rockies), Jorge Soler (Angels), Zach McKinstry (Tigers)