Yankees have perfect 22 home run infielder to pursue, no matter what happens with Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Regardless of what the New York Yankees want to do with Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm this offseason, as Chisholm is set to hit the free agency market, and there are questions about whether Volpe is going to win the second base job, there's no debate that New York can still add another infielder to its mix.
Ryan McMahon, the third baseman the Yankees traded for at the 2025 trade deadline, has been far from ideal.
There's a strong argument that McMahon has been one of the Yankees' worst additions in quite some time, given the price tag of his contract.
All in all, the Yankees have some questions to answer in their infield, which should lead them to add a player, whether via trade or free agency.
Among the potential trade options, a guy like Jeremy Pena of the Houston Astros is someone they should make a call on. It remains uncertain what the Astros plan to do this offseason, but Bleacher Report recently named him a trade candidate, and there are few better options for the Yankees than the 2022 World Series MVP.
“The moment Peña hired Scott Boras as his new agent in June 2025, the likelihood of a long-term extension prior to hitting the open market shrank considerably for the Astros.
“A wide-open AL West ultimately convinced the Astros to steer away from selling at the deadline, and even if they do view themselves as contenders in 2027, flipping Peña before losing him in free agency could still be on the table,” Bleacher Report wrote.
Pena might not have reached similar heights to what he did in 2022, at least in the postseason. However, 2025 was technically his best season in terms of bWAR.
He posted a 5.7 bWAR, hit 17 home runs, and drove in 62 runs. He also posted a 135 OPS+.
In a Yankees lineup that could use help, he's the type of player to target, even if the price tag is high and he hits free agency in 2028.
More MLB news:
- Mets’ Kodai Senga and Mark Vientos trade rumors will be music to fans ears
- Mets have perfect Rays pitcher to pursue if Tampa Bay does what it has in the past
- Blue Jays could be threat to poach Yankees 1.69 ERA pitcher during MLB offseason
- Mets linked to Phillies All-Star, but they must avoid at all cost
- Former Yankees fan favorite Anthony Rizzo sticks up for Aaron Boone amid firing chants