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Yankees Rumors

Mets, Yankees Among Teams To Show Recent Interest In David Robertson

By Steve Adams | July 15, 2025 at 11:27am CDT

Free agent reliever David Robertson has been throwing for interested clubs recently, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic. Two of his former clubs, the Mets and Yankees, have at least looked into the possibility of signing Robertson, per the report. Several other clubs are expected to scout a throwing session for Robertson over the next week or so.

Robertson, who turned 40 in April, hasn’t signed with a team since the 2024 season concluded. The right-hander was one of several notable older veterans who didn’t find offers to his liking in free agency. Lance Lynn encountered a similar situation and opted to retire. J.D. Martinez is unsigned as well and recently received some interest from the Rangers. Robertson’s recent and upcoming showcases for interested teams serve as a notable update on his status, signaling both an intent to play and at least some level of readiness to take the mound.

The lack of a compelling offer for Robertson wasn’t due to any downturn in results. The former All-Star and 16-year MLB veteran was terrific for Texas in 2024, pitching 72 innings of 3.00 ERA ball. Robertson picked up 34 holds and two saves while fanning a huge 33.4% of opponents against a 9.1% walk rate. He averaged 93.3 mph on his go-to cutter, which tied his 2023 mark for the highest of any single season in his career. Robertson’s 11.7% swinging-strike rate was a dip from his 2022-23 levels (13.3%) but right in line with his career 11.8% mark.

Back in April, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Robertson had been seeking a $10MM annual salary in free agency over the winter. He earned $11.5MM with the Rangers last year ($5MM of it deferred). The Phillies also showed some interest in Robertson early in the season, even before Jose Alvarado was hit with an 80-game PED suspension, and they’re known to be on the lookout for bullpen help. It would stand to reason that they’re still interested in a reunion with Robertson themselves.

Presumably, Robertson will be prioritizing a deal with probable contenders. The Yankees, Mets and Phillies all fit that billing and are all among the top eight teams in terms of current playoff odds, per FanGraphs. The Tigers, Cubs, Astros, Blue Jays, Brewers and Mariners are all in extremely favorable postseason position as well, holding at least an 80% postseason chance per the odds at FanGraphs and/or Baseball Prospectus.

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New York Mets New York Yankees Newsstand Philadelphia Phillies David Robertson

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Yankees Claim Rico Garcia

By Darragh McDonald | July 14, 2025 at 12:35pm CDT

The Yankees have claimed right-hander Rico Garcia off waivers from the Mets, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The Mets designated Garcia for assignment last week. The Yankees had an open 40-man spot. Garcia is out of options, so they will need to open an active roster spot for him.

Garcia, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in the offseason. He then tossed 30 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level with a 4.45 earned run average. He struck out 27.4% of batters faced but also gave out walks at a 14.8% clip.

The Mets lost a number of pitchers to the injured list in recent weeks and called Garcia up to the big leagues at the start of July. He got into two games and gave them 4 2/3 scoreless innings. He averaged over 96 miles per hour on his fastball while also throwing a slider, curveball and changeup. The Mets bumped him off the roster when Kodai Senga was reinstated from the IL.

The Yankee bullpen has recently taken a number of hits. Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz and Yerry De los Santos all hit the IL in the past few weeks. Jake Cousins has been on the IL all year but recently required Tommy John surgery.

Garcia was a freely-available arm who has posted some intriguing strikeout numbers this year, so the Yanks have grabbed him off the wire. Since he’s out of options, his grip on a roster spot may be tenuous. The Yanks, like all contenders, will surely be looking to make bullpen additions before the deadline.

The righty has also pitched for the Rockies, Giants, Orioles, Athletics and Nationals, but always in fairly limited stints. He has appeared in five major league seasons but has just 40 1/3 innings under his belt, posting a 6.47 ERA in that time. From 2022 to the present, he has 165 minor league innings with a 3.33 ERA, 31.7% strikeout rate and 12.7% walk rate.

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

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New York Mets New York Yankees Transactions Rico Garcia

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AL East Notes: Red Sox, Alcantara, Cabrera, Fried, Gil, Garcia, Rodriguez

By Mark Polishuk | July 13, 2025 at 10:59pm CDT

A ten-game winning streak has launched the Red Sox back into the playoff race, and all but confirmed that the club will be looking to buy before the trade deadline.  Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has stated that the Sox are looking at pitching options, and MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam opines that the Red Sox would likely prefer controllable pitchers in particular, so this new hurler could help support the club’s talent core for more than just the remainder of 2025.  However, as of two days ago, McAdam noted that Boston hadn’t yet spoken with the Marlins about two controllable potential trade candidates — Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera.

While there’s still plenty of time before the July 31 deadline for the Sox to inquire about either pitcher, the lack of interest to date might indicate that Breslow simply might have other pitchers on his target list.  Alcantara’s past Cy Young Award-winning form makes him perhaps the summer’s likeliest trade candidate, yet the right-hander has struggled badly in his return from Tommy John surgery.  Cabrera is arbitration-controlled through 2028 so the rebuilding Marlins might not see a reason to move him just yet, and certainly not for anything less than a massive trade return.  Health is also a concern with Cabrera, as he left Friday’s start early due to elbow discomfort but might be able to avoid the injured list after a precautionary MRI came back clean.

More from around the AL East….

  • Yankees ace Max Fried left Saturday’s start after three innings due to a blister on the index finger of his throwing hand, and he told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner and other reporters today that it was too soon to tell whether or not Fried would be healed and ready to make his first start after the All-Star break.  Fried is no stranger to blister problems, and the unpredictable nature of the injury means that it could be at least a few days before the southpaw or the club has any clarity on the situation.  Despite some shaky results in his last three starts, Fried still finished the first half with tremendous numbers, including a 2.43 ERA over 122 innings in his debut season in New York.
  • Speaking of Yankees pitchers, Luis Gil has been sidelined all season by a lat strain, but the reigning AL Rookie of the Year began a minor league rehab assignment today with Double-A Somerset.  Gil threw 36 strikes during the 50-pitch outing, recording six strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings of work while allowing a run on two hits and a walk.  This sharp performance is a good sign for Gil as he gets back to full readiness, and his long layoff means that his rehab stint will probably stretch into August.  An in-form Gil would be a massive boon for the Yankees’ rotation for the remainder of the season, and the team’s trust in Gil’s health could inform how much of a push New York makes for pitching help at the deadline.
  • Yimi Garcia may not need a rehab assignment for his sprained ankle, and he could rejoin the Blue Jays’ bullpen when first eligible to be activated from the 15-day injured list.  (Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling was among the members of the Toronto beat to report the news.)  Garcia has pitched just once in the majors since May 22, as he was first sidelined by a shoulder impingement and then quickly picked up his ankle sprain that necessitated a return to the 15-day IL on July 5.  The reliever threw a bullpen session on Friday and is slated to throw another soon, and his recovery from those sessions should determine the Jays’ next step.
  • Rays right-hander Manuel Rodriguez will probably visit with doctors on Monday after experiencing elbow soreness during his most recent rehab outing, manager Kevin Cash told the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin and other reporters.  A forearm strain sent Rodriguez to the 15-day IL just over a month ago, and Friday was supposed to be his final rehab outing, except the reliever’s elbow started acting up and his velocity dropped noticeably.  Rodriguez has been an underrated bullpen weapon over his two-plus seasons in Tampa, delivering a 2.12 ERA over 68 relief innings since the start of the 2024 season.  This isn’t the first time Rodriguez has dealt with a major arm problem, as an elbow strain cost him the majority of the 2022 campaign when Rodriguez was still a member of the Cubs organization.
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Boston Red Sox Miami Marlins New York Yankees Notes Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Edward Cabrera Luis Gil Manuel Rodriguez Max Fried Sandy Alcantara Yimi Garcia

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J.C. Escarra Drawing Trade Attention

By Nick Deeds | July 12, 2025 at 9:15pm CDT

30-year-old backstop J.C. Escarra has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees this year since emerging as the club’s primary backup to Austin Wells. In 36 games this year, the journeyman who spent the 2022 and ’23 seasons outside of affiliate ball has slashed a respectable .215/.312/.354 (89 wRC+) with elite pitch framing numbers. While Escarra has been a below-average hitter overall, he’s sporting impressive plate discipline numbers with a strikeout rate of just 14.0% against a phenomenal 11.8% walk rate. Escarra’s 36-game showing in the majors has been enough to grab the attention of some rival clubs, according to a report from the New York Post’s Joel Sherman.

Sherman writes that Yankees GM Brian Cashman was receiving calls regarding Escarra dating all the way back to last year’s trade deadline, a time when the journeyman backstop had spent less than a season back in affiliated ball and had been at the Triple-A level in the Yankees’ system for less than two weeks. That combination of interest and the possibility the fact that the Yankees have begun giving Ben Rice reps behind the plate in games was enough to lead Sherman to suggest the Yankees could consider listening to offers on Escarra this summer, though that appears to be largely speculative on Sherman’s part.

Regardless of whether New York is interested in parting with their backup this summer, the fact that teams have interest in his services is interesting. Given the fact that Escarra made his big league debut earlier this year, he has five years of team control remaining after this season and wouldn’t be eligible for arbitration until the 2028 campaign. That could make him a strong fit for a number of catching-needy clubs, both those in contention and those with longer playoff timelines.

The Padres could certainly stand to get more out of their catching tandem and are known to be looking for upgrades in the middle of a win-now season, but on the other end of the spectrum the Nationals have the worst catching tandem in the majors and could view a gifted framer like Escarra as a perfect complement to Keibert Ruiz long-term. The Twins stand out as a team on the bubble of playoff contention that could be a speculative fit for Escarra’s services, as well. Christian Vazquez has not only been among the worst hitters in baseball this year but is ticketed for free agency following the 2025 campaign, meaning that a controllable catcher like Escarra could not only improve Minnesota for 2025 but also fill a long-term need for the club.

It’s hard to say exactly how much the Yankees could expect to get in return for Escarra, but given the club’s many needs this summer it’s not hard to imagine them finding some sort of match. A third baseman figures to be a priority, and options like Willi Castro and Amed Rosario could theoretically be had from the Twins and Nationals respectively. Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan could bolster the club’s flagging bullpen down the stretch, and while it could be difficult for a pair of contenders like the Yankees and Padres to match up on the trade market perhaps the Padres have a depth starter like Matt Waldron or Kyle Hart who could interest the Yankees.

Of course, all of this speculation is predicated on the idea that the Yankees would be open to carrying Rice as their primary backup behind the plate for the stretch run. Rice has enjoyed a proper breakout season at the dish this year with a 122 wRC+ and even stronger underlying batted ball data, but he’s made just 11 appearances behind the plate this year, including only four starts and two complete games. Without much additional catching depth available to the Yankees in the lower minors, trading Escarra would be a major vote of confidence in Rice as a player capable of handling the defensive duties of a big league backup.

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New York Yankees J.C. Escarra

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Geoff Hartlieb Elects Free Agency

By Anthony Franco | July 11, 2025 at 8:42pm CDT

Reliever Geoff Hartlieb has gone unclaimed on outright waivers and elected free agency, the Yankees announced. New York designated him for assignment on Wednesday when they promoted pitching prospect Cam Schlittler.

Hartlieb has gone through this cycle twice in as many weeks. The Yanks selected his contract in late June and outrighted him a few days later. Hartlieb elected free agency, re-signed on a major league deal, then was DFA again after three days. He has gotten into two games and been hit hard in each. The journeyman righty has allowed six runs on five hits and four walks while retiring just four of 13 batters faced.

While MLB hitters have teed off on Hartlieb this year, he has had a nice run with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He carries a 3.34 ERA with a 26% strikeout rate against a 6.9% walk percentage. Hartlieb has a 4.17 ERA over parts of six seasons at the top minor league level. He has given up nearly eight earned runs per nine across 80 2/3 career major league frames. Most of that time came in a Pittsburgh uniform. Hartlieb has played for five clubs overall.

The Yankees could try to bring Hartlieb back on a minor league contract. He’s out of options, so they needed to run him through waivers to take him off the MLB roster. The lack of options limits his flexibility, but his production in Scranton should get him attention as a depth option.

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New York Yankees Transactions Geoff Hartlieb

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Trade Deadline Outlook: New York Yankees

By Darragh McDonald | July 10, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT

MLBTR's team-by-team look at the upcoming deadline continues with the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers are always trying to win the World Series and this year will certainly be no exception. The American League East is tight, as is the Wild Card race, but the Yanks are obviously going to do everything they can to strengthen the roster for the playoff push.

Record: 51-41 (89.8% playoff probability, per FanGraphs)

Buy Mode

Potential needs: Starting pitcher, third baseman, relievers

Before the 2025 season even began, the Yankee rotation got blown up. Luis Gil was diagnosed with a lat strain in early March, meaning he was destined to miss a decent chunk of the first half, at least. A few days later, even more ominous news came out, with Gerrit Cole getting some tests done on his elbow. The worst-case scenario eventually came to pass, as he underwent Tommy John surgery.

Cole is going to miss the entire season. Gil could be back in the mix at some point but is still on the injured list and hasn't begun a rehab assignment. Despite those two major challenges, the remaining starters have held the club above water. The rotation has a collective 3.69 earned run average this year, good for eighth in the majors. Lefties Max Fried and Carlos Rodón are each earning their salaries this year. Guys like Clarke Schmidt, Will Warren and Ryan Yarbrough have done good work supporting Fried and Rodón. Marcus Stroman just returned from the IL, but Yarbrough and Schmidt both landed on the shelf recently. In Schmidt's case, he will undergo Tommy John surgery and won't be back this year.

Looking ahead to the club's playoff rotation, Fried is a lock. Rodón would be as well, though his injury track record is well known at this point. Warren tossed around 130 innings in each of the past three years and is up to 90 so far this season. Will there be any questions about his playoff effectiveness as he pushes into the 150-175 range? Stroman wasn't trusted in the club's playoff push last year and they tried to trade him in the winter. Presumably, he hasn't increased his standing in 2025, since he's spent most of the year injured. Cam Schlittler is getting a chance in the majors now but won't have much time to prove himself prior to the deadline. Adding a starter is therefore a priority and general manager Brian Cashman has confirmed as much.

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Clarke Schmidt To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

By Darragh McDonald | July 10, 2025 at 3:30pm CDT

Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow. Manager Aaron Boone passed the update along to reporters today, with Chris Kirschner of The Athletic  among those to pass it along. The righty is on the 15-day injured list but will be moved to the 60-day IL once the Yankees need his roster spot.

The news isn’t surprising. It was reported a few days ago that Schmidt had been recommended for the surgery. It seems he and the Yankees took a few days to perhaps due some final tests before confirming the path forward.

Now that Schmidt’s fate is sealed, he will miss the remainder of this season and possibly all of 2026 as well. It normally takes 14 to 18 months for a pitcher to return from such a procedure. That gives Schmidt a shot to return late in 2026, though only if he doesn’t experience any setbacks.

It’s a rough blow for the Yankees, who have already taken a few rotation hits. Gerrit Cole required Tommy John back in the spring and will miss the entire 2025 season. Luis Gil has been on the IL all year so far due to a lat strain. Marcus Stroman has also missed most of the season due to left knee inflammation.

Despite those injuries, the Yankees held the top spot in the American League East for most of the first half. Their rotation was held aloft by a strong one-two punch of Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. That duo was supported by strong performances from Schmidt, Ryan Yarbrough and Will Warren.

More recently, Yarbrough has been sidelined by an oblique strain and now Schmidt has hit the shelf as well. Perhaps not coincidentally, the Yanks have found it a bit more difficult to win games lately and have slid to second in the division behind the Blue Jays.

Even before Schmidt’s injury, it seemed likely that the Yankees would look for more starting pitching at the deadline. Now the need should be even greater. General manager Brian Cashman spoke openly about this week about the club placing a priority on pitching.

For Schmidt, it’s his second straight injury-marred campaign and next year will be three in a row. He logged 159 innings for the Yanks back in 2023, though with a middling 4.64 earned run average. Last year, he dropped his ERA to 2.85 but a lat strain put him on the IL for about half the season, limiting him to 85 1/3 innings. Here in 2024, he logged 78 2/3 innings with a 3.32 ERA before this elbow injury shut him down. Now that he’s got a date with the scalpel, he won’t be able to add to that total and will be capped in 2026 as well.

A Super Two player, Schmidt is currently in his second of four arbitration seasons. He made $2.025MM last year and is making $3.6MM here in 2025. He’ll be due an arbitration raise for 2026 and 2027 but the lengthy injury absence will limit how his ability to push that number up. He’ll turn 30 in February and will be 31 in his final season of control before he’s slated for free agency.

Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images

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New York Yankees Clarke Schmidt

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Yankees Prioritizing Pitching, Also Searching For Infield Help

By Steve Adams | July 10, 2025 at 12:54pm CDT

The Yankees’ needs as the trade deadline looms aren’t exactly a well-kept secret. Gerrit Cole had Tommy John surgery before the season. Clarke Schmidt looks headed for the same fate. Luis Gil still hasn’t pitched due to a lat strain, and Ryan Yarbrough landed on the injured list late last month as well. DJ LeMahieu was released this morning in the wake of Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s move back to second base. Half a bullpen’s worth of relievers are on the injured list.

Given that slate of injuries and poor performance, it’s not a surprise that general manager Brian Cashman made clear when addressing the media yesterday that he plans to pursue upgrades in the rotation, in the bullpen and in the infield (link via Brendan Kuty of The Athletic). Pitching was highlighted as a particular focus.

“Whether it’s bullpen guys or starting pitchers, it’s just all of it,” said the GM. “That’s the area. We have people that are capable, but I think it also needs to get some help.”

Yankees starters rank eighth in the majors with a collective 3.69 ERA, but that includes 78 2/3 innings of 3.32 ERA ball from Schmidt, whose season is very likely over. It also includes 40 innings of 3.83 ERA ball from Yarbrough, who’s on the shelf due to an oblique strain. The Yankees have gotten terrific performances from high-profile free agent additions Max Fried and Carlos Rodon, but rookie Will Warren has a 4.70 ERA in 19 starts and fellow prospect Cam Schlittler just made his MLB debut yesterday. Veteran Marcus Stroman only recently returned from the injured list and has a 7.45 ERA in five starts (albeit with better results post-injury than pre-injury).

In the bullpen, the Yankees have lost Fernando Cruz, Mark Leiter Jr., Jake Cousins and Yerry De los Santos within the past three weeks. Cousins’ season is over before it truly began, as he’ll require Tommy John surgery. Cruz has a Grade 2 oblique strain and is looking at a long absence. Leiter has a stress fracture in his fibula. While Cousins hasn’t pitched this season due to his injuries, the other three have combined for 87 1/3 innings of 3.30 ERA ball with 21 holds and four saves.

The need at one infield position has been apparent since the offseason. Chisholm can play both third base and second base but is a better defender and more comfortable at the latter. He voiced as much recently while still being careful to make a team-first, “wherever they need me” caveat. The Yankees moved Chisholm from the hot corner back to second base and designated LeMahieu for assignment yesterday. LeMahieu, whom Boone suggested is not physically capable of handling third base right now, has seen his glovework at second base decline as well. He was released this morning.

Chisholm should be a plus all-around option at second base, but there’s no such certainty at third base. Oswald Peraza is a former top prospect and a sound defender, but he’s hitting .152/.220/.254 on the season. Jorbit Vivas, recalled when LeMahieu was designated, has slashed .156/.255/.267 in 53 major league plate appearances and .286/.409/.393 in Triple-A. Backup catcher J.C. Escarra has logged two games at third base as well but isn’t a frequent option over there. The Yankees could use some help and have already been linked to Ryan McMahon, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and others.

Any acquisitions the club makes will count against an ominous financial backdrop. The Yankees are third-time tax payors in the top penalty bracket, meaning they’re paying a 110% tax on the average annual value of any incoming players. That’s on top of said player’s actual salary.

For instance, Sandy Alcantara is perhaps the most oft-speculated name on the starting pitching market, but he’s making $17MM this year and guaranteed another $19MM beyond the season. He’d cost the Yankees $12.5MM for the final two months of this season alone, plus next year’s $17MM salary, any subsequent taxes, and at least a $2MM buyout on a 2027 option. Yankees fans frequently ask about Jacob deGrom in the chats we host at MLBTR, but deGrom has a $37.85MM AAV on his remaining contract and a $40MM salary in 2025. He’d cost the Yankees a ridiculous $27.1MM just for the final two months of the season, before even considering the $75MM he’s owed in 2026-27 (and any taxes they’d pay on that sum) and/or his full no-trade clause.

The extent to which ownership is willing to further bump payroll remains unclear. The Yankees ran up against some clear financial limitations late in the most recent offseason. Managing partner Hal Steinbrenner has publicly and famously indicated that he doesn’t think a $300MM payroll is sustainable on an annual basis. The Yankees aren’t far from that threshold right now. Cashman said yesterday that Steinbrenner has told him to present any and all scenarios, regardless of cost, and cautioned not to assume that a player or players are too expensive. Those decisions will be made by ownership on a case-by-case basis.

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New York Yankees Newsstand

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Yankees Release DJ LeMahieu

By Darragh McDonald | July 10, 2025 at 10:00am CDT

July 10: The Yankees announced that LeMahieu has been released.

July 9: Veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu has been designated for assignment by the Yankees, per multiple reports. Jorge Castillo of ESPN was among those to relay the news, adding that infielder Jorbit Vivas has been recalled as the corresponding move.

DJ LeMahieu | Andy Marlin-USA TODAY SportsThe move comes just a few days ahead of LeMahieu’s 37th birthday, which will be on Sunday. Though he was previously an excellent big league hitter capable of playing multiple positions, his production has nosedived as he has aged, both offensively and defensively.

He started this season on the 10-day injured list due to a calf strain. He came off the IL in mid-May. The Yanks gave him a chance to take over the second base job, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. moved over to third base, but LeMahieu’s offense was subpar. Manager Aaron Boone recently announced that Chisholm would be moving back to second base. LeMahieu had played third base in the past but Boone said this week that wouldn’t be an option as it would be too physically challenging for LeMahieu. General manager Brian Cashman said today that LeMahieu mentioned back in the winter that playing third base would be an issue for him physically, per Greg Joyce of The New York Post.

That left the veteran seemingly limited to a bench role but without the defensive versatility he had previously provided. It seemed the window was closing on him being a useful contributor for the Yankees, so they are moving on.

After many years with the Rockies, the Yankees originally signed LeMahieu ahead of the 2019 season, a two-year deal with a $24MM guarantee. He was brilliant over the course of that contract, hitting a combined .336/.386/.536 over 195 games. That production led to a 146 wRC+, indicating he was 46% better than the league average hitter. He did that while bouncing between first base, second base and third base as needed.

He returned to free agency but the Yanks eventually re-signed him, a six-year pact this time with a $90MM guarantee. In hindsight, that ultimately proved to be a misstep for the Yanks. In 2021, LeMahieu’s production fell to .268/.349/.362, translating to a 101 wRC+. He bounced back slightly in 2022, with a .261/.357/.377 line and 115 wRC+, but he was a league average hitter again in 2023.

Last year, his age and injuries really seemed to catch up with him. He missed significant time due to a right foot contusion and a right hip impingement. He only got into 67 games and hit .204/.269/.259 for a 53 wRC+. This year, as mentioned, he began the year on the IL. His offense came back to some degree, but his .266/.338/.336 line thus far translates to a wRC+ of 95.

It has long seemed like LeMahieu has been cornered. Chisholm is a better defender at second base and appears more comfortable there. Adding a third baseman at the deadline and moving Chisholm to the keystone has long seemed like a plan for the Yankees. They have been connected to players like Ryan McMahon and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in recent weeks. Cashman admitted today that he plans to look for third base upgrades ahead of the deadline, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.

LeMahieu will be on the open market in the coming days. He is making $15MM annually through the end of next year, meaning there is still about $22MM left to be paid out between now and then. No club will want to claim that off the waiver wire. He has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment and keep those salary commitments in place. The Yankees may skip that formality and simply release him. They will stay on the hook for that money.

At that point, any other club could sign him and would only have to pay him the prorated version of the league minimum salary. That amount would be subtracted from what the Yankees pay. Given LeMahieu’s health, age and recent performance, he may be limited to minor league offers.

For now, the Yanks will cover third with some combination of Vivas, Oswald Peraza and backup catcher J.C. Escarra, Boone said today, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. However, as mentioned, they seem likely to add a player from outside the organization by the July 31st deadline.

Photos courtesy of Bill Streicher and Andy Marlin, Imagn Images

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New York Yankees Newsstand Transactions DJ LeMahieu J.C. Escarra Jorbit Vivas Oswald Peraza

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MLBTR Podcast: Firings in Washington, Bad Braves, And An AL East Shake-Up

By Darragh McDonald | July 9, 2025 at 11:58pm CDT

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

  • MLBTR’s Top 40 Trade Candidates and the general market conditions (1:10)
  • The Nationals firing president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez (3:40)
  • Does this shake-up increase the likelihood of a MacKenzie Gore trade? (14:10)
  • The Braves losing Spencer Schwellenbach to the injured list as they keep losing games (18:30)
  • The Yankees lose another starter, with Clarke Schmidt likely to undergo Tommy John surgery (31:00)
  • The Blue Jays surging to the top of the American League East and what they might try to do at the deadline (33:45)

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • Could the Mariners get Josh Naylor from the Diamondbacks without giving up Harry Ford? (46:25)
  • The Rangers have a bunch of impending free agents such as Patrick Corbin, Jon Gray, Luke Jackson, Chris Martin and Shawn Armstrong. Should they trade them and could they get anything of note? (49:20)
  • What do the Mets do at the deadline? (52:25)

Check out our past episodes!

  • Depleted Mets’ Pitching, The Pirates Are Open For Business, And More! – listen here
  • The Braves Say They Won’t Sell, Jeimer Candelario DFA’d, And Injured D-Backs – listen here
  • Reacting To The Devers Trade And Aaron Civale – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

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