Eugenio Suarez Must Be a Top Trade Target for Yankees Before the Deadline

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman needs to find a solution at third base because Ryan McMahon is not the answer.

The Yankees should target Reds 3B Eugenio Suárez. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Heavy is the head that wears the crown in the Bronx. Such is the life of Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

The long-time front-office guru knows he's assembled a roster that can make a run at the World Series. But if he wants to bring the club its first title since 2009, there's an easy move to be made before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

It's time for the Yankees to move on from Ryan McMahon at third base. And there's an affordable short-term solution that would pay immediate dividends wait for Cashman & Co. in Cincinnati.

Yankees should trade for Eugenio Suarez

Cashman should pursue a trade with the Reds for two-time All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suárez.

But wait, you say. Why do the Yankees need another aging bat in their lineup? And that's a fair question. After all, Suárez is 35 years old and his best days are behind him.

That might be true to an extent; however, the slugger is still an effective right-handed bat at a time when the Yankees don't know when designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton and right fielder Aaron Judge will return from the injured list. And the Yankees don't know how much longer 38-year-old Paul Goldschmidt can continue to defy his age to protect first baseman Ben Rice.

Eugenio Suárez could give the Yankees some much-needed power, with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton currently sidelined. | David Frerker-Imagn Images

Yes, Suárez is hitting just .217 with seven home runs and a .651 OPS this season. But he spent a month on the injured list with a strained oblique and is finally hitting his groove. In his last seven games, Suárez has three home runs and eight RBIs.

And Suárez is just one season removed from tying his career high with 49 home runs while adding a personal-best 118 RBIs. Simply put, Suárez's bat is real, and it can be spectacular.

Since joining the Yankees before the 2025 trade deadline, McMahon is hitting .208 with 11 home runs and a .631 OPS in 120 games. Yes, he flashes Gold Glove-caliber defense. But the hot corner has turned into a black hole in New York's lineup, and something needs to change.

Suarez is a cost-effective addition

Also keep in mind that Suárez won't cost a lot. He's playing this season on a one-year, $15 million contract and will be a free agent this fall. Given his status as a short-term rental, Cashman won't be forced to give up the farm for the slugger.

However, Cashman would have to put more money and more prospects on the table for a better upgrade, like Giants 3B Matt Chapman. Yes, Chapman is younger (33), is having a better season at the plate, and brings five Gold Glove awards. But he's also in the midst of a six-year, $151 million deal and will require the Yankees to send better prospects to the Bay Area.

Look, is Suárez a perfect solution? Absolutely not. He's not going to hit like Álex Rodríguez or field like Graig Nettles. But he gives the Yankees a better chance this season of winning the club's 28th World Series title.