The New York Yankees are looking for a third baseman, and one MLB analyst suggests they should seek an infielder from a competitor.
MLB analyst Jacob Mountz from FanSided opines that the Yankees ought to acquire infielder Jeff McNeil from the New York Mets. Mountz thinks McNeil would be an ideal match for the Yankees and could be a viable trade candidate.
“According to Mountz, Jeff McNeil had a disappointing season, recording a .238/.308/.384/.692 batting line with 12 homers in 424 at-bats.” “At first sight, this doesn’t seem to be the same Jeff McNeil who claimed a batting title in 2022 with a .326 average.” Although his first half was terrible, he started to improve, batting .289 in the second half until a wrist fracture cut his season short. McNeil is familiar with injuries, as his career has been filled with them. He came back for the NLCS, where he did quite badly. So, what makes him perfect for the Yankees?
“Initially, McNeil is a slap hitter who tends to pull the ball,” Mountz remarked. “He is not recognized as a home run slugger, but in the Bronx, this shifts significantly.” Baseball Savant calculates that if park and environmental elements are accounted for, McNeil would have smashed 19 home runs at Yankee Stadium instead of the 12 he achieved in 2024.”
Mountz thinks McNeil has the potential to hit 25 home runs at Yankee Stadium, which is why he encourages the Yankees to pursue the trade.
McNeil is about to begin the third year of his four-year, $50 million contract. The last year of the contract is an option for the club.
Analyst Thinks McNeil Requires a Shift in Environment
McNeil faced challenges in 2024, and Mountz thinks the infielder requires a different environment.
The infielder had a batting average of .238, hitting 12 home runs and driving in 44 runs. He hasn’t performed as well at the plate since winning the batting title in 2022. Nonetheless, Mountz believes McNeil might excel with the Yankees.
“A shift in environment would certainly benefit him greatly.” “And if he manages to regain his former statistics when he achieved averages over .300, he would certainly be a game-changer for the Bombers,” wrote Mountz. “McNeil will be 33 in the upcoming season and is set to receive $15.75 million over the next two years.” His contract features a club option for 2027 at the identical price. For the Mets, dealing McNeil would yield a favorable return and provide them with some flexibility that they could use to help secure Alonso’s return.
McNeil is a two-time All-Star and a one-time recipient of the Silver Slugger award.
How Would McNeil Integrate with the Yankees?
McNeil might vie for the starting role at third base or second base with the Yankees.
New York can choose to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third base to second base. Nonetheless, McNeil is capable of playing both roles, providing the Yankees with additional roster flexibility.
It also provides the Yankees with essential support at third base, as DJ LeMahieu is expected to be the current starter. However, he has faced injuries during the last two seasons.
In the end, McNeil would serve well as an infielder and a lower-order hitter. In the meantime, the expense to obtain him probably wouldn’t be very high.
Leave a Reply