Yankees find a potential Ryan McMahon replacement option in former All-Star free agent

NEW YORK — Ryan McMahon’s defense has given the Yankees some stability at third base. But his bat has made the position an offseason question again.

The Yankees acquired McMahon from Colorado in July 2025 as an established defender at the hot corner. The move never produced the offensive lift the Yankees needed. By the end of 2026, even the defense that had been his strongest argument had slipped.

McMahon hit .213 with 11 home runs, 41 RBIs and a .636 OPS in 124 games in 2026. Statcast credited him with zero Outs Above Average, while Defensive Runs Saved placed him three runs below average. He is due $16 million next season, the final year of his contract.

That combination leaves the Yankees weighing a trade, a reduced role or another season of faith in a player whose production has not matched his salary. Any replacement, however, would need to solve more than one problem.

An All-Star alternative comes into focus

Alec Bohm, Philadelphia’s 2024 All-Star third baseman, has emerged in the discussion as a possible replacement for McMahon. The 30-year-old right-handed hitter is approaching free agency after seven seasons with the Phillies and could offer New York a different offensive profile.

Bohm played 155 games in 2026 and finished at .249/.315/.383 with 15 home runs, 88 RBIs and a .698 OPS. His 87 OPS+ was 13% below league average, so the attraction is not an established middle-of-the-order slugger. It is a hitter who puts the ball in play, produces with men aboard and supplies a right-handed alternative in a lineup that needs balance.

He was one of seven right-handed major league hitters with at least 85 RBIs in three of the previous four seasons. His career performance with runners in scoring position, .314 with an .825 OPS, is particularly relevant for a Yankees lineup that has struggled to turn opportunities into postseason runs.

The defensive price is substantial. Statcast rated Bohm at minus-11 Outs Above Average in 2026, with minus-8 at third and minus-3 at first. His 2024 mark was plus-5, followed by minus-2 in 2025, before this season’s pronounced decline. Signing him as an everyday third baseman would exchange McMahon’s unreliable offense for another form of risk.

Bohm’s recovery changed his value after a miserable start

Bohm’s final numbers conceal a sharp midseason reversal. Through his first 35 games, he hit .159/.227/.206 with one home run and 15 RBIs. Over his final 120 games beginning May 9, he batted .274/.340/.433, with 14 home runs and 73 RBIs.

After the All-Star break, Bohm hit .298/.369/.425. His .347 average with runners in scoring position for the season showed why Philadelphia continued to give him opportunities despite the early slump. In Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series against Atlanta, his two-out, go-ahead homer in the 10th inning kept the Phillies alive before they were eliminated in Game 3.

His early-season difficulties unfolded after he filed a lawsuit alleging financial mismanagement by his parents. The dispute was subsequently settled. There is no established causal link between that matter and his play, and his improved performance later in the season stands on its own.

Yankees face a measurable offense-versus-defense decision

The two players’ 2026 results make the choice more nuanced than the label “upgrade” suggests. Bohm got on base more often and struck out much less, but neither player delivered above-average offense for the full season. The Yankees would have to decide whether a different contact profile warrants paying another third baseman while McMahon remains under contract.

Bohm had a .816 OPS against left-handed pitching in 2026 and has been notably productive against southpaws across his career. That creates one plausible arrangement: Bohm takes right-handed at-bats, while McMahon provides late-inning defense when the Yankees protect a lead. But the arrangement would be expensive and would not fully address the vacancy if McMahon were moved.

A limited sample also cautions against promising a Yankee Stadium boost. Bohm has a .944 OPS in just nine career at-bats at the ballpark. That figure is too small to project his production over a full season.

For the Yankees, the more revealing comparison may be how often the two hitters put the ball in play. McMahon struck out 106 times in 360 plate appearances in 2026. Bohm struck out 88 times despite making 567 at-bats. Bohm offers a different way to sustain innings, although his low slugging percentage limits how much that skill alone can improve scoring.

Yankees vs. Philadelphia question

Bohm’s free agency also carries a financial question for Philadelphia. The qualifying offer for this offseason is $23.15 million. A one-year commitment at that number would carry considerable risk for a third baseman who produced 0.2 FanGraphs wins above replacement in 2026. The Phillies are unlikely to take the risk.

For the Yankees, the free-agent third-base market is thin. They have alternatives beyond a free-agent signing. Jose Caballero has played third base, though the Yankees prefer him in a utility role, while younger infielders could influence the eventual alignment. Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato has also entered offseason speculation, presenting a different kind of offensive bet.

Hal Steinbrenner has pointed to the Yankees’ offensive shortcomings as a major reason for their postseason failures over the past two years. That concern could make the organization more willing to accept Bohm’s defensive limitations in exchange for his bat.

McMahon’s presence also gives New York a late-inning defensive alternative, allowing the Yankees to shift Bohm out of third base when protecting a narrow lead.

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