The New York Yankees have been struggling a little bit since the month of June. They had command in the American League East and now trail the Toronto Blue Jays by 4 1/2 games.
They still lead the Wild Card race, but have work to do to catch Toronto. The trade deadline is less than a week away, and New York has holes to fill.
One of their biggest needs is third base. DJ LeMahieu was released, and New York feels more comfortable with Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base.
Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently made some trade proposals for struggling players and had the Yankees potentially acquiring Ke'Bryan Hayes from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
"Many Yankees fans would like their team to acquire Eugenio Suárez from the Arizona Diamondbacks. But if Brian Cashman and Co. don't land the All-Star slugger, Ke'Bryan Hayes of the Pirates could be an interesting option at third base," Kelly wrote.
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Hayes has struggled this year with the Pirates. While he owns a 1.4 WAR, he is slashing .243/.288/.300 with just two home runs, 34 RBI and a .588 OPS.
The 28-year-old hit 15 home runs in 2023, so he does still bring some power from the right side of the plate. However, it might take a change of scenery to revive his bat.
New York is firmly in postseason contention while the Pirates are far out of the race. Playing for a contender could help Hayes, and Yankee Stadium is known for being a hitter friendly ballpark.
The Yankees are in desperate need of a solution at third base. Hayes would at least give them some solid defense.
It will be interesting to see if the Yankees make an offer.
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