New York Yankees Linked to Surprising Trade With Heated Rival

The New York Yankees‘ offense seems to have woken up recently, although it’s clear that the lineup still has some deficiencies.

More specifically, the Yankees have a couple of glaring weak spots in the order, particularly at third base and catcher.

Both Ryan McMahon and Austin Wells have struggled mightily this season, and you have to wonder how much longer New York can live with both players starting.

The Yankees have already been rumored to be searching for some help at catcher, but what about the hot corner?

Well, Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media has pitched a rather intriguing name for the Bronx Bombers: Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes.

Paredes was traded to the Astros via the Kyle Tucker deal back in December 2024 and enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in Houston, slashing .254/.352/.458 with 20 home runs and 53 RBI over 438 plate appearances, earning an All-Star selection.

A hamstring injury limited Paredes to just 102 games in 2025, but when he was on the field, he produced.

The 27-year-old has not been quite as productive this season, as he owns a slash line of .237/.329/.379 with six homers and 24 RBI, but he has been better than McMahon, and his lifetime .761 OPS indicates that he is due for a bounce back.

Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes. Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images.

Paredes is under team control through 2028 and is making $9.35 million this season with a $13.35 million club option for 2027, so if the Yankees acquire him and don’t like what they see, they can merely cut ties with him after the year.

Of course, the problem is that the Astros would likely ask for a quite a bit from New York in return, and you do have to wonder if Paredes — who isn’t the greatest defender in the world — is worth such a hefty price.

There is no question that Paredes’ bat would represent a major upgrade for the Yanks. He bashed 31 long balls with the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2023, so he has certainly shown solid power in the past. He also lays claim to a nice 10.9 percent walk rate.

But the Yankees have been notoriously stingy when it comes to trading prospects, so they may balk at the idea of moving significant pieces for Paredes.

New York does have some other options for third base, as both Amed Rosario and Jose Caballero have played there, but Rosario is awful defensively, and the Yankees would probably prefer to keep Caballero in a super-utility role.

That’s where a full-time third baseman like Paredes would make plenty of sense.

One big sticking point is McMahon’s contract, as he is making $16 million this year and is on the books for another $16 million in 2027. New York would have to find a way to dump McMahon in the event of a Paredes trade, which wouldn’t be easy.

We’ll see if the Yankees do, in fact, try and make a move for a McMahon replacement before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Yankees Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Yankees. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.

Tags: