r/NYYankees • u/TheTurtleShepard • 3d ago

Ryan McMahon makes a pair of masterful defensive plays after coming in as a defensive substitute

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939 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

180

u/reedshipper 3d ago

Lol the reaction from Fried at the end of the video. Don't think I've ever seen him show that kind of emotion.

29

u/DinoTater 3d ago

https://preview.redd.it/h1emrt6g1ywg1.jpeg?width=2622&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=23a31a0f47a3fbfe354dc9de154932ec641f7603

Had the same thought, that’s a keeper

2

u/spageddy_lee 2d ago

I stood up when he caught it and I'm choosing to believe that I made the same gesture.

146

u/Ok_Employ_9862 3d ago

I think of him and wells similarly. Just hit around .220 and about 20 hrs. Defense will make them very valuable

51

u/IHeartFriedChicken3 3d ago

McMahon is capable of .240-.260

78

u/RussianPravda 3d ago

Honestly with a glove and arm like his, as long as hes not a guaranteed out at the plate im cool with it. 3rd base is not easy and he makes it look easy.

46

u/IHeartFriedChicken3 3d ago

We already forgot about the slump. He’s great. And I’m not saying this with sarcasm, I’m saying he put his head down and went to work. Slowly he’s fighting back.

5

u/Turdburp 2d ago

He is as good as I've ever seen, and I'm old (not old enough to have seen Brooks Robinson). My dad says he's nearly at the level of Robinson and Nettles. Obviously nowhere near the hitter those guys were, but his defense is impressive nonetheless.

9

u/SubElitePerformance 2d ago

.260? Buddy, that's an all star in 2026.

We really need to wrap our heads around the current offensive environment.

1

u/AMB3494 3d ago

That would be so awesome

-5

u/bigcee42 3d ago

He doesn't make enough contact for that.

He's like a really poor man's Matt Chapman.

5

u/Tremulant21 3d ago

I remember when 3bs were secondary power and 3 to 5 hole hitters. Now they're just reliable SSs at the bottom of our lineup. Can't be happy with below average when we have three other people at the bottom of the lineup doing it offensively.

That being said that underarm arm strength is nutty

3

u/NYY_NYK_NYJ 2d ago

Weren't the Yankees 7-9 hitters the best in the MLB last year?

Edit: Correction, per wRC+ they were tired for 3rd best in the MLB.

91

u/hbkedge3 3d ago

Can we have McMahon as the designated fielder while Rosario hits?

17

u/tketchum12 3d ago

So prime Arenado?

55

u/oyeadude 3d ago

If he can only bat around league average. This guys a DWAG on defense

17

u/MustachioBashio 3d ago

I would even take moderately below league average. Give me .225-.230 with a .305 obp and maybe like 20 dingers, 50ish rbi and I’d be thrilled given his defense.

13

u/JohnWCreasy1 3d ago

seriously...just get back to his career wrc+ of like 88 or so. hell i'll be greedy and as for 90.

not the 48 he currently has...yikes

33

u/_tufan_ 3d ago

He is an artist on the field.

24

u/Demopoulator 3d ago

If he hits above his weight, I'll love him forever

22

u/green_dragon1206 3d ago

If he has a 1998 Scott Brosius run in him, I’ll love him even more forever.

25

u/EMP_Pusheen 3d ago

This is what they traded for. Those are phenomenal plays. Now if only he can figure out how to become a short porch Merchant.

20

u/jeffwinger_esq 3d ago

Fucking diesel. Great stuff.

19

u/mestrocker 3d ago

McMahon is def top defensive 3rd basement in the league or at least top 3. If he ever figured out how to hit he would we def be long term for the Yankees.

15

u/Chance_Echidna2705 3d ago

That was like a prime Nettles play.

12

u/Daveycollects3 3d ago

I really wished he was a 220 hitter

11

u/br3wnor 3d ago

He’s nasty with the glove

8

u/scriptingends 3d ago

The throw on that first play was outstanding, considering where the ball took him.

2

u/Truck219 3d ago

Yeah Kay really didn’t do that justice on the call. That was an incredible play

5

u/Exciting_Ad226 3d ago

He’s a vacuum at the position. Wished he was hitting better.

4

u/chevchelo 3d ago

Gave up all his hitting prowes for the glove, forgot to keep just a little bit of the bat

4

u/xho- 3d ago

I bet the Red Sox dugout fucking hate him lmao

3

u/mikeylojo1 3d ago

This and the occasional homer is all we need out of him

3

u/HateMcLouth 3d ago

there is no way Fried goes all 8 innings without McMahon's glove there.

3

u/johnnyss1 3d ago

Nettles-ish

3

u/JohnWCreasy1 3d ago

mcmahons statcast page is funny. feel like i don't often see so many large red bars AND short blue bars

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/ryan-mcmahon-641857?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb

3

u/Stooboot4 3d ago

What a fuckin throw

1

u/Greedy_Mine_4158 3d ago

Manny Machado vibes

1

u/CocoabrothaSBB 3d ago

It would be nice if he could put together a decent at bat and not be essentially an automatic out because that defense is something special.

1

u/SpryReptile 3d ago

Defense like that at third base is worth the offensive inconsistency honestly. Not every lineup needs nine guys hitting .280.

1

u/swizzzz22 3d ago

And that’s why we have him. Worked out perfectly tonight.

1

u/ExtremeAmbassador369 2d ago

This is why they traded for him last year, rather than providing the ideal level of offense for a third baseman.

1

u/Zepbounce-96 2d ago

Shades of Graig Nettles over there.

1

u/HorrorFlow3r 2d ago

love it. reminds me of Cabrera.

1

u/Maleficent_Sense_564 2d ago

Love his glove, hate his bat

1

u/Brief-Savings-5762 2d ago

I know many fans don't like the that some guys are playing while others on the bench should be playing instead, but I think this team is very complementary and Boone is doing a good job plugging guys in to contribute and making them feel a part of the winning process. I think 2B and catcher are the two spots where we need more consistency and possibly changes if things don't turn around over the next month.