Assuming that Caballero achieves his goal, Yankees manager Aaron Boone will have some lineup shuffling to do. As great as the 29-year-old infielder has been this season, Anthony Volpe has played well in his absence (.294/.500/.412 with three RBIs, seven walks and two stolen bases in 17 at-bats) and isn’t showing signs that he’ll let go of the starting shortstop job anytime soon.

Unless Volpe slips up, someone else must come out of the starting lineup to get Caballero back in the mix. Ryan McMahon’s spot is looking the most ripe for the taking.

Jose Caballero could be Yankees’ 3B solution

Yankees fans are hoping to see several positions upgraded before the trade deadline, with catcher and the bullpen often being at the forefront. While addressing those issues should be at the top of general manager Brian Cashman’s to-do list, McMahon’s poor performance has also raised concerns about New York’s hot corner.

Known for being a decent defender in the past, McMahon is playing to a .951 fielding percentage across 314 1/3 innings at third—the second-worst rate of his career. He ranks 15th when it comes to outs above average among 39 third basemen, per Baseball Savant, while his 67% success rate ranks 25th.

Of course, McMahon’s bat hasn’t made up for his defensive shortcomings. While he had a two-hit performance in Tuesday’s win, he’s still slashing just .194/.265/.315 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 46 games (124 ABs). The fact that he’s also had not one but two seven-game hitless streaks this season only further proves that he isn’t worth the $16 million he commands annually.

The Yankees need a change at third base, which is where Caballero comes in.

He doesn’t have as much 3B experience as McMahon, but Caballero has played 377 innings at the hot corner throughout his MLB career. That includes 41 innings with the Yankees last season, where he had a .980 Fld% with nine double plays turned and one error. He hasn’t had a chance to play there yet this season, but that has more to do with his running away with the starting shortstop job.

It also goes without saying that Caballero’s bat would be an upgrade over McMahon’s, too. Before hitting the IL, the former 2017 seventh-rounder had notched four HRs, 13 RBIs, eight walks, 13 stolen bases and a .259/.320/.400 slash line in 41 games (135 ABs). His performances weren’t as consistent once the calendar flipped to May, so hopefully some time on the IL is what he needed to get back on track.

What happens next will be interesting

If Caballero is given the opportunity and runs away as the next starting 3B, the Yankees wouldn’t have much of a need for McMahon anymore. He isn’t going to usurp any of his teammates for their roles in his current form. He is also paid too much money to be a bench bat, especially one that can’t even hit reliably.

That would open the door for the Yankees to trade him, as they don’t need a $16 million roster clogger. While it might take some convincing, it isn’t unthinkable that Cashman could find a potential trade partner who’s confident that they can turn McMahon back to his 2024 All-Star form. New York had that same belief when it traded for him last year, after all.

Getting rid of McMahon would also allow the Yankees to promote a top prospect, such as George Lombard Jr. The 20-year-old infielder has the defensive potential to be New York’s starting third baseman one day, and the team would be doing him a big favor by clearing up the infield logjam. He could then learn behind Caballero before competing for the No. 1 role next spring.

At the end of the day, McMahon is becoming a growing problem that the Yankees can’t ignore for much longer. Caballero’s impending return could be the first step to solving the issue, giving fans every reason to anticipate what his next update will look like.