Yankees urged to target Diamondbacks' 25-HR slugger by MLB insider

The New York Yankees no longer look like the pennant favorites in a weak American League.

With the Detroit Tigers stomping on the gas pedal this year, the Yankees have fallen back. They still have the AL's third-best record at 46-34, but it's clear that they'll need some additional firepower at the trade deadline.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. is currently the starting third baseman, but he's better suited at second base and the Yankees are a better team if he's playing there. That makes third base the ideal position to target ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.

Chris Kirschner of The Athletic agrees. In fact, Kirschner believes the Yankees should do all they can to make sure they land the top player at the position, and maybe the top player available, period.

In a recent mailbag column, Kirschner named Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez as the Yankees' top priority--if his team decides not to continue pushing for a playoff spot of their own.

"If the Diamondbacks sell, Eugenio Suárez should be the No. 1 target for the Yankees," Kirschner wrote. "One issue with Suárez is many teams with better prospects will likely be interested in him.

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"Do the Yankees have enough to land what could be the best player available?"

It's not hard to see why the Yankees would want Suárez. He's got 25 home runs this season, by far the most by any third baseman, and his .892 OPS is only two points lower than José Ramírez for the major league lead at the position.

But the Yankees are going to have to get uncomfortable to make this trade happen. Arizona will want future stars, and although the Yankees might have enough prospects to entice them, it would leave their farm system barren.

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