The Yankees need infield help, and they might find it right across town.
Both New York teams are off to strong starts this season, but they’re facing opposite infield situations. The Yankees can’t get any production from third base, while the Mets have so many capable infielders they’re sending good ones to the minors.
Jeff McNeil just returned from a right oblique strain that sidelined him for the first four weeks. His activation forced the Mets to option Brett Baty to Triple-A, despite Baty swinging a hot bat.
This logjam makes McNeil an interesting trade candidate. The two-time All-Star is in the middle of a four-year, $50 million contract that runs through 2025, with a club option for 2027. But with Baty, Luisangel Acuña, and Ronny Mauricio all pushing for playing time, the Mets might consider moving him.
Dylan Sanders of Yankees on SI recently named McNeil as a potential trade fit for the Yankees. If acquired, McNeil would likely play second base, shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to third where he played after joining the Yankees last July.
“McNeil just recently made his season debut, but still has some trade value as a consistently solid player on the middle of the infield,” Sanders wrote. “He has a .257/.332/.380 slash line over the last three years and is a more-than-solid defensive presence.”
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What makes this interesting is the Yankees wouldn’t need to part with premium prospects. Their farm system isn’t particularly deep compared to other contenders, but that might not matter here. The Mets aren’t looking to “sell high” on McNeil – they’d be making a move to resolve their own roster crunch.
McNeil’s contract would add significant payroll for the Yankees, but they’d be buying low on a former batting champion. That’s a rare opportunity in today’s market, especially for a player with McNeil’s track record.
The question is whether the Mets would actually deal with their crosstown rivals. The two New York teams haven’t made a significant trade since 2004, when the Yankees sent Mike Stanton to the Mets. But if both sides see a clear benefit, this unusual deal could make sense.
