yankees/news/yankees-better-trade-fit-731-ops-astros-slugger-luis-arraez/1a1116949e90a358169bb40e?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=appeared_on">Yankees are better trade fit with .731 OPS Astros slugger than with Luis Arraez originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Yankees are set to be active buyers once again this season, and like last year, there is a focus on infield additions and more bullpen help.
With Ryan McMahon struggling and the uncertainty surrounding Anthony Volpe and Jose Cabellero, it’s not a surprise that the Yankees are linked to some infield help. And one of the top infield options likely to be available is Luis Arraez.
However, as Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly highlighted, there’s a different infielder who’s a better fit for the Yankees than Arraez. That player is Houston Astros .731 OPS slugger Isaac Paredes.
Why Isaac Paredes is a better fit for Yankees than Luis Arraez
“Houston infielder Isaac Paredes might be a better fit,” Kelly writes, “giving the Yankees another right-handed bat with pop in a lineup that doesn’t have much in the way of that outside of Aaron Judge right now with Giancarlo Stant on the injured list.”
As good as Arraez has been at second base for the San Francisco Giants, the Yankees don’t need another left-handed hitter like they do a righty.
Stanton is on the injured list, and Aaron Judge is joining him due to a stress fracture in his ribs. The Yankees desperately need more right-handed power right now.
Paredes, the two-time All-Star third baseman, would make a lot of sense for the Yankees in a trade. He’d instantly replace McMahon at third and be the righty power hitter this lineup needs.
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While his .731 OPS this season is a bit down from his .809 OPS last season, he’s still above average offensively, and would not be too expensive to acquire either.
Plus, Paredes is under club control through the 2027 season, so the Yankees could get multiple seasons out of him rather than simply trading for the right-handed slugger as a rental.
The Yankees need some more right-handed power, and with a big need at third base, Paredes is a fantastic fit for the Yankees, especially when compared to the left-handed-hitting second baseman in Arraez.
