The Yankees have a gaping hole at third base heading into 2025, and they might need to get creative to fill it.
After their World Series appearance last season, New York prioritized athleticism and defense, shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third to his natural position at second base. That move made sense, but it’s left the hot corner wide open. With D.J. LeMahieu nursing an injury, utility man Oswaldo Cabrera appears set to start at third — a less-than-ideal solution for a team with championship aspirations.
It’s a situation that gets even more complicated when you consider Oswald Peraza’s uncertain future. The former top prospect doesn’t seem to have a path to playing time in the Bronx. If he doesn’t crack the Opening Day roster, the Yankees will need to designate him for assignment and hope he clears waivers — an unlikely outcome for a player with his pedigree.
MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic recently proposed a trade that could solve multiple problems for the Yankees. In his latest predictions, Bowden suggested New York could land Twins third baseman Royce Lewis.
“The Twins trade the oft-injured Royce Lewis to the Yankees for lefty Henry LaLane, righty Cam Schlittler and infielder Oswald Peraza,” Bowden wrote.
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Lewis, the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, has flashed superstar potential when healthy. The problem? He’s never played more than 82 games in a big-league season. He’s already set to begin 2025 on the injured list with a hamstring strain.
There’s obvious risk in acquiring a player with Lewis’s injury history, but the upside is tantalizing. He’s under team control through 2028 and currently costs next to nothing against the payroll. When he’s on the field, he’s a difference-maker.
The Twins might not be eager to part with their former top pick, but at some point, availability becomes the best ability. If Minnesota has grown frustrated with Lewis’s time on the IL, this could be a win-win scenario. The Yankees would get their third baseman of the future, while the Twins would add three pieces, including a ready-now infielder in Peraza who might benefit from a change of scenery.
