Ryan McMahon arrived last July to give the Yankees something they could not easily buy: steady defense at third base, even if the bat did not promise much pop. That expectation has held up in broad terms for years, but the first few innings of 2026 have not looked like the sure-handed version the Yankees thought they were getting.
Heading into action last night, McMahon had minus-3 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-2 Outs Above Average in 67 innings. He also committed a throwing error against the Seattle Mariners on March 30, when a one-hop throw to first baseman Ben Rice came up short with Mitch Garver at the plate. Those numbers are small, but they are the numbers in front of him now, and they sit uncomfortably next to a reputation built on range, reliability and clean throws.
That reputation is not accidental. Since 2017, McMahon has piled up 66 Defensive Runs Saved and 46 Outs Above Average, a total topped only by Nolan Arenado and Matt Chapman. Last season he logged 10 DRS and seven OAA, then finished as a finalist for the NL Gold Glove at third base despite spending only half the season there. The Yankees moved for him with that profile in mind, valuing him as a defensively strong left-handed half of a third base platoon alongside Amed Rosario.
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The early sample, though, is telling enough to be noticed. The MLB Film Room listed 14 plays with McMahon as the primary fielder before last night’s game, and they were not all damage plays: six groundouts, three popups, three singles, one double and one E5. That is not enough to rewrite what he has been over a full career, but it is enough to make the start feel less secure than the Yankees would have hoped. As McMahon would put it, his usual sure glove has not been quite as secure in the early going.
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The larger question is whether this is a blip that fades as the innings add up or the first sign that the Yankees may have to lean more heavily on Rosario in 2026 if McMahon keeps slipping. For now, the club is still carrying a defender with elite credentials. What it does next will say whether it still trusts that profile more than the early return.
