Inside The Pinstripes

Yankees' Infielder Must Live Up to $16 Million Price Tag

The New York Yankees simply need more out of their $32 million infielder.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Mar 5, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Ryan McMahon (19) fields the ball against the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Mar 5, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Ryan McMahon (19) fields the ball against the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

The New York Yankees brought in Ryan McMahon for a reason, but the money aspect of his contract is still alarming.

McMahon signed a six-year, $70 million contract with the Colorado Rockies back in March 2022. He was traded in July 2025, but the Yankees still owe him $16 million in both 2026 and 2027.

Coming off what many would consider a down year, McMahon needs to prove his worth. The Yankees have a ton of infielder options, so it's up to McMahon to make sure he stands out enough and doesn't lose his spot.

There aren't many teams who are going to want to trade for him, so it seems like McMahon is the clear-cut winner for which Yankees contract is the worst this season.

Ryan McMahon Must Top 2025 Production

2026 will be the first full year of McMahon in New York, but he played 54 games last year which is a nice sample size. Yankees fans didn't get much out of the 31-year old other than the fact he's an incredible defender who struggled to hit the ball.

McMahon's 2025 slash line was a measly .214.312/.381, and that includes the 100 games he played for the Rockies. The lefty may have still been adjusting to his new home, but it's not like his numbers in Spring Training are jumping off the page.

McMahon's 25 at-bats are the second most through March 11. He's hitting just .120 with an OPS of .425. There are 12 Yankees batters with 20+ at-bats this spring, and McMahon is one of four who haven't hit a home run yet.

$16M is a Steep Price Tag

10 defensive runs saved in 2025 is one thing, but his offensive numbers leave the team no choice but to look another way. The Yankees are going to give McMahon every chance to impress, simply because they have to, but the last thing they need is a weak spot in their lineup.

The team has been testing him out at shortstop, but it's not like a switch in positions is going to save McMahon from his fate at the plate. His six strikeouts are tied for the second fewest of any hitter with 22+ at-bats so far, and that's a good thing as he was in the bottom two percent of the league a year ago with his 32.3 K%, according to Baseball Savant. His exit velocity and hard hit% have been trending in the right direction, but at $16M this is highway robbery.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz is a writer for On SI, part of the Sports Illustrated Network. Jordon is an accomplished writer for NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He contributes to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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