The New York Yankees cannot be disappointed about where they are right now in the season. While the Bronx Bombers are riding a two-game losing streak, they still lead the American League East by four games at 39-25.
The surging Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays are two franchises to keep an eye on in the coming months, but one clear threat to the Yankees’ chances of winning the pennant has stood out above the rest. The Detroit Tigers have the best record in Major League Baseball right now at 43-24 with a youthful roster that will just get better as the season goes on.
MLB analyst Brad Doolittle for ESPN.com ultimately detailed how the Yankees match up to the Tigers in a hypothetical series and why a trade for the Diamondbacks’ third baseman Eugenio Suarez would boost their title odds even further.
“New York has a higher baseline rating than Detroit, giving the Yankees a narrow edge in all those simulated AL Championship Series meetings with the Tigers despite the road disadvantage,” Doolottie argues. “Also, the postseason paths of New York and Detroit are less laden with superteams than their NL brethren, so -- voilà! -- the Yankees' title odds are looking good.
To stay there: They need more pitching for sure, though the Yankees have done a great job of piecing things together so far. A more impactful pickup might come from a power bat for third base, with Arizona's Eugenio Suarez leaping to mind as an ideal fit.”
Third base has been a need for the Yankees throughout 2025. To this point, New York hasn’t found a permanent answer for the position, making Suarez a seemingly ideal fit. While the 33-year-old only has an on-base percentage of .303, he’s hit 18 home runs and driven in 48 RBI.
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The question is, from the plate, would it be more suitable for the Yankees to get a player who gets on base more, especially with Giancarlo Stanton presumably returning at some point this season? In addition, Suarez is not considered a strong fielder at his position.
Those are just some of the concerns that Brian Cashman will have to weigh if he is considering making this move. Overall, how the front office acts in the coming weeks up until the trade deadline will go a long way toward determining whether this franchise can win its 28th World Series this season. The Yankees are a title contender, but this roster still needs a few tweaks.
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