The biggest hole on the New York Yankees' current roster resides at third base. Eugenio Suárez is the best third baseman available on the trade market. That does not mean GM Brian Cashman should do whatever it takes to acquire the talented slugger in the coming days.
The ugly truth in the Bronx is that manager Aaron Boone's squad has several holes to fill before the trade deadline slams shut. Third base is the most high-profile vacancy but filling it might not be enough to prepare the Yankees for a meaningful playoff push.
If New York wants to end its lengthy World Series title drought, it will need to add multiple pitchers to the mix. Clarke Schmidt's recent injury leaves a major hole in Boone's starting rotation. Luis Gil's impending return should give that group a boost, but it's unclear how many innings he'll be able to soak up down the stretch.
The bullpen might need even more work. Devin Williams and Luke Weaver are doing a nice job holding late leads but getting the ball to them has been a big problem. Adding one or two middle relievers with strikeout stuff could do wonders to help the Yankees catch the Blue Jays for the AL East crown.
But what's the latest about the Yankees' interest in Eugenio Suárez?
It's far too early to bury the idea of the Yankees landing Suárez but there's little to suggest a deal is imminent at the moment. In fact, insider Jack Curry has already gone on record with the news that the team has not had "substantive" conversations with the Diamondbacks to date.
Jack Curry on Eugenio Suárez:
— Bronx Bombers News (@NewsBronx) July 23, 2025
"I know the #Yankees have not had substantive conversations with the Diamondbacks. Going forward, we'll see if that does occur."
That could all change with one phone call from Cashman, but New York's lack of interest in Suárez should not be a huge surprise to fans who have been paying attention. The Diamondbacks can afford to conduct Suárez trade talks with a massive amount of leverage at their disposal.
Firstly, they can credibly tell opposing teams that they want to hold on to Suárez to make a postseason push of their own. Arizona is only one winning streak away from finding themselves back in the hunt for a postseason berth. Parting ways with their most powerful hitter would effectively end their 2025 season.
The Diamondbacks also realize that Suárez would become the top slugger on the trade market if they do want to make a deal. The Yankees are not the only team in the market for that sort of impact bat. The Cubs, for instance, also have a need for an upgrade at third base who can lengthen the middle of their order.
Suárez's current hot streak combined with the scarcity of impact bats available will embolden Arizona to ask for a king's ransom in return for his services. The Yankees could probably manage to hold on to George Lombard Jr. but they would be required to gut the remainder of their farm system to rent Suárez for a few months.
It's hard to envision the Diamondbacks accepting any package that wasn't headlined by Spencer Jones. He is currently the organization's third-ranked prospect, but his hot start to life in AAA has scouts buzzing around MLB. The Yankees might be ready to hand him a meaningful role in their 2026 lineup.
Arizona could also reasonably ask for two additional top-10 prospects. Talented arms like Carlos LaGrange and Ben Hess would be prime targets for the Diamondbacks. The Yankees already suffer from a lack of pitching depth at the top levels of the minors. Parting with this kind of prospect depth would only exacerbate that problem for New York.
So what should the Yankees do instead?
Don't look for Cashman to make an early deal unless he finds a major bargain. He'd be wise to let the market cool down a bit before cashing in any of his prospect poker chips.
Instead of paying a premium for Suárez they should look at cheaper alternatives. Ke'Bryan Hayes could be an ideal buy low candidate. He also boasts exceptional infield defense at third base. That's an overlooked weakness of Suárez's game.
The Yankees could use some middling prospect depth to acquire a few relief arms that can help them stabilize things as the rest of the staff returns to full health. Boone does a nice job rotating his bullpen arms and adding some depth to his options could offer the team extra wins down the stretch.
Admittedly, this strategy might leave New York short of acquiring the quality starter they'd ideally add in the coming week. They'll need to rely on Gil and the hopeful return of Allen Winans to patch things together before the playoffs arrive. That's a big risk, but the Yankees don't have the assets to cover all of their potential deficiencies at the moment.