Yankees Have Plan for Ryan McMahon's Offensive Numbers

The primary reason why the New York Yankees targeted, and acquired, third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies at the trade deadline this past season was his stellar defense, but the club believes he can reach another level offensively by solving some long-standing issues that have plagued him throughout his career.

Speaking with reporters at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla. earlier this week, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that the club's hitting staff has been in contact with McMahon since the season ended as they look to help him take a step up at the plate.

“He and our hitting guys have really had some good conversations as he’s starting in to our hitting program now this winter,” Boone said, per the New York Post's Mark W. Sanchez. “He’s a tremendous athlete, real power. Feel like knows the strike zone pretty well.

“There’s some things he does in his swing that get him in trouble a little bit, but it would not surprise me at all to see him go to a different level offensively.”

Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon (19) hits a solo home run during the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

McMahon's Misleading Career Stats

When simply glancing at McMahon's career numbers, he gives off the look of a player who's an above-average threat with the bat while possessing impressive power. After all, his OPS sits at .738 through parts of nine big-league campaigns while hitting 20 or more home runs during each of the six seasons in which he's played 100 or more games.

The caveat, though, is that McMahon played his home games at the notoriously hitter-friendly Coors Field with Colorado before arriving in New York back in the summer.

He struggled away from Denver during his time with the Rockies, as his .664 OPS on the road paled in comparison to his .818 mark at home. Additionally, 88 of his 140 home runs with the club came at Coors Field.

McMahon produced at a subpar level offensively after joining the Yankees, slashing .208/.308/.333 with four homers in 185 plate appearances, and now the team's focus is on helping him turn it around in 2026.

Areas Where McMahon Can Improve at the Plate

Much like Boone, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is confident that McMahon can put his shortcomings behind him and essentially become a new hitter after spending an entire offseason with the organization.

“I think now with us getting the full spring training with him, a winter working with him, maybe we can unlock some things," Cashman said.

McMahon's never had an issue with hitting the ball hard, evidenced by an elite average exit velocity and hard-hit rate of 93.3 mph and 50.5 percent, respectively, but he strikes out far too much.

The 30-year-old logged a 32.3 percent strikeout rate to go with a 35.2 percent whiff rate in 2025, both of which ranked in the second percentile per Baseball Savant. That simply can't continue to be the norm for McMahon if he wants to improve and rework his offensive profile.

He makes up for it slightly with a 11.9 percent walk rate, which placed in the 87th percentile, but having McMahon cut down on his swing-and-miss tendencies will be key for New York.

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