Ryan McMahon trade grades: Yankees play it safe with Rockies infielder, Colorado addresses pitching

The Yankees landed their new third baseman on Friday, and it isn't Eugenio Suarez.

A day after the Mariners balked at the price for Suarez and traded for his Diamondbacks teammate Josh Naylor, the Yankees swung a deal with the Rockies for Ryan McMahon.

McMahon, unlike Suarez, is not a rental. He is under contract through 2027 on a six-year, $70 million extension he signed with Colorado in 2022 and could be a multi-year solution at third base for the Yankees. McMahon doesn't offer nearly the same kind of power as Suarez, but his defense and fit in Yankee Stadium likely intrigued New York.

Here's how each side did in the deal that sent McMahon from the Rockies to the Yankees.

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Ryan McMahon trade grades

Yankees grade: C+

• Yankees receive: 3B Ryan McMahon

There haven't been many more consistent players than McMahon in the sport over the last handful of years, for better or worse. The 30-year-old has posted an OPS+ between 90 and 99 (league average is 100) in each of the last five seasons with strong defense and between 20-25 home runs each season, including this year's pace.

The solid power and strong defense are enough to make McMahon relatively valuable. His struggles to hit for contact and get on base have limited his value at the plate, keeping him consistently a tick below league average. McMahon's road splits outside of Colorado are not especially promising, but plenty of strong Rockies hitters — including DJ LeMahieu — have joined new teams and performed just fine.

The Yankees' lineup is probably not a Ryan McMahon away from being what it wants to be. With Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells and Jasson Dominguez going through severe slumps in recent weeks, it's hard to say McMahon has the bat to noticeably improve New York's offense even if his defense could help settle down what has been a nightmarish stretch in the field for the Yankees.

McMahon is under contract through 2027, but that raises another question: if he's going to continue to be an average-at-best bat, how many average-at-best bats can the Yankees tolerate in 2026 and beyond? Unless Wells, Volpe and Dominguez can became significantly better at the plate than they are today, the pop is going to have to come from somewhere else — and McMahon, even with 20 home runs each season, probably doesn't move the needle, particularly at $16 million in both 2026 and 2027.

Make no mistake that McMahon is a present-day upgrade to a bad third base situation for the Yankees. He makes New York a better team ahead of the stretch run, and the decision to give up fewer assets for McMahon than Suarez could prove to be wise if the organization responds by aggressively addressing the pitching staff. For a team 4.5 games out of the AL East lead, however, McMahon isn't enough of an offensive boost.

MORE:Yankees could face unexpected Ben Rice decision

Rockies grade: A-

• Rockies receive: LHP Griffin Herring, RHP Josh Grosz

You almost have to give the Rockies a pat on the back just for making the deal, as they have a long history of inexplicably holding onto players at the deadline despite being out of contention. The trade signals Colorado at least understands the dire position it is in, and McMahon didn't serve much of a purpose for a team just trying to avoid the most losses in a single season. 

The return is nothing to complain about, either. Herring doesn't necessarily have the fastball to blow it by hitters, but the 22-year-old has been excellent since making his professional debut in late 2024. The former LSU standout has a 1.71 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 89.1 innings between A and Advanced-A ball this season, limiting hits to 5.6 per nine innings and allowing only three home runs. Herring is set to rise on prospect lists and gives a Rockies organization perpetually in need of pitching a fairly advanced arm rather than just a project that would inevitably run into obstacles when it comes to development with that franchise. 

Grosz, also 22, doesn't have quite the same upside as Herring but has a strong fastball and hasn't let control issues consume him. The right-hander has a 4.14 ERA across 87 innings in Advanced-A ball this season, though his peripherals largely match the numbers he put up when he had a 3.85 ERA in 2024. Grosz has allowed five home runs on the year with 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings. 

Most teams might prefer a high-risk, high-upside project type of pitcher in a package of two arms, but the Rockies probably should not be trusting their development system to mold a pitcher who fits that description. Herring and Grosz should fit well in Colorado's system with the chance to start rising quickly through the organization.