Yankees just got closer to making a trade that could alienate the fanbase

The New York Yankees came out of the gate strong this season before hitting significant turbulence over the past month. Things looked a little better in the lead-up to the All-Star break, but New York remains two games back of Toronto in the AL East and only one game ahead of the red-hot Red Sox. So we can expect Brain Cashman and the front office to be active ahead of the trade deadline.

Few roster needs in MLB are more well-documented than New York's void at third base. DJ LaMahieu recently hit the waiver wire. Jazz Chisholm Jr. spent a minute at third, but he essentially begged Aaron Boone to move him back to his natural position of second base. In the meantime, Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas will split time at the hot corner with an OPS of .456 and .501, respectively.

The Yankees need to find something resembling a competent bat at third base before the trade buzzer sounds on July 31. Fans will naturally gravitate toward the big-ticket names like Eugenio Suárez or Ryan McMahon, but another trade candidate has entered the chat. One who has been amply connected to New York.

His name is Ke'Bryan Hayes and he plays for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Yankees target Ke'Bryan Hayes likely to get moved at deadline

A Hayes trade is "60 percent" likely to happen, per Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on 93.7 The Fan (h/t Sports Illustrated).

This has been brewing for a while. The Pirates are far from contention and Hayes continues to underperform offensively. He's under contact through 2032 at $8 million annually, which is solid value for a 28-year-old with Hayes' track record. But the recent production tells a worrying tale, and Hayes does not necessarily address the most pressing concerns in New York.

So far this season, Hayes is batting .238 with an abysmal .576 OPS. He has two home runs and 31 RBI in 328 at-bats. Pittsburgh's offense has been a total slog, with Hayes at the heart of it. He does other good things on the field, to be clear, but with so little pop coming from his bat, it's getting harder for Pittsburgh to justify keeping him around. So why are the Yankees interested?

Yankees need to tread carefully with Ke'Bryan Hayes interest

There is a world in which trading for Hayes is a completely fine move for the Yankees. He is categorically better than their current options, at the very least due to his defensive impact. Hayes is one of the best hot corner defenders in the sport, producing 13 outs above average this season. That puts him in the 99th percentile and it's part of why he's still a positive impact player (0.8 WAR) despite the lackluster offense.

New York needs better defense all around. Aaron Judge, for all his talent, is a persistent negative in right field. Jazz Chisholm and Paul Goldschmidt give New York solid gloves on the right side of the infield, but Anthony Volpe has been a mess all season at shortstop. Behind him is Jasson Domínguez in left, a 22-year-old who is still learning the ropes at his position.

Hayes would help shore up the Yankees defense, which is not nothing. But he's just bad at the plate, man, and the Yankees really need to find some offensive pop beyond Aaron Judge. Chisholm is an All-Star and Cody Bellinger has been on a heater of late, but the back half of the Yankees lineup is a real dead zone. Hayes does not help in that respect.

So, while the Yankees can benefit from a Hayes trade — especially since he's probably a buy-low candidate — New York would be better off surveying the league for more explosive hitters before settling on Hayes.