The New York Yankees should have a new third baseman by the end of the month.
Lately, the Yankees have been playing Jazz Chisholm Jr. out of position at the hot corner in deference to veteran second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who is only still on the team because of his expensive contract. It's been endlessly frustrating, as neither player is performing on defense.
So the Yankees may want to trade for a better third baseman, but there might not be many game-changers available. The Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suárez and the St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado could easily both stay put, leaving behind few obvious fits.
That's why one popular Yankees podcast host is intrigued by the possibility of a trade for a slumping ex-All-Star.
On the most recent episode of "Talkin' Yanks," Jomboy Media's Jake Storiale proposed that New York could look into a deal for Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung, a 2023 All-Star who has just a .648 OPS in 75 games this season.
"The Rangers have been so bad this year. They have other third base options. I don't know what the trade looks like, it's tough to value, but I feel like the Yankees used to find some change-of-scenery guys," Storiale said.
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"Maybe they're (the Rangers) just ready to move on from him, he needs a change of scenery, the Yankees could give them a real prospect back. It might not work, but if it does, you might have a third baseman for a couple years."
Jung hit 23 home runs in just 122 games as a rookie and looked like he was on the verge of becoming a top-tier third base slugger. It's been tough sledding since, but he's still only 27, and he's shown the ability to make consistent hard contact in years past.
It couldn't hurt to try unlocking Jung in the Bronx if the Yankees didn't need to part ways with a top-three organizational prospect. He'd be under team control through the 2028 season.
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