The New York Yankees have to be willing to take a risk at the trade deadline, and that’s exactly what some think they’ll decide to do.
There are multiple players out there for the Yankees to pursue, and the expectation is that they will be involved in many of them. One player who would make a lot of sense to take a flyer on is 27-year-old Royce Lewis.
Lewis, the first pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, hasn’t had the past few years that he was hoping for with the Minnesota Twins. There have been times when Lewis looks to be one of the better young players in baseball, but the injuries have certainly caught up to him, playing just 58 games in 2023, 82 in 2024, 106 in 2025, and then struggling this year before he was sent down and returned at the beginning of June.
One Sports Illustrated writer believes there’s a possibility for the Yankees to get involved, and in the simple sense of taking a chance on a young infielder who can really swing it when he’s at his best, I fully agree with attempting to bring him in.
“Lewis has struggled to stay healthy throughout his entire career, but he’s a quality hitter when he’s up and running. Acquiring Lewis would be risky business, but his price has likely never been as low as it currently is, and it may never be this low again.
“In 38 games this year, Lewis is slashing .208/.291/.385 with six home runs and 17 RBIs. The former No. 1 pick has never played more than 106 games in a season, but for his career, he’s averaging 28 home runs and 95 RBIs per 162 games. During his best season, back in 2023, Lewis had a .921 OPS in 58 games with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs,” Karl Rasmussen of SI wrote.
The one problem I’d have with trading for Lewis is that the Yankees have dealt with a lot of injuries over the past few years, and they’d be adding a young kid who has a ridiculous injury history.
At the same time, at only 27 years old, I don’t think it’s crazy to suggest that Lewis can get healthier and have a really nice career in the Bronx. The talent isn’t the problem, so the Yankees just need to bet on some upside.
