The offense-needy New York Yankees are bringing in an outfield bat. The Yankees are finalizing a trade to acquire right-handed hitter Heliot Ramos from the San Francisco Giants, reports ESPN. Minor-league lefty Henry Lalane is part of the package heading to San Francisco, as is infielder Kaeden Kent, son of Jeff, according to MLB.com.
Ramos, 26, is hitting .264/.394/.424 with nine home runs around a quad injury this season. He's plateaued as a hitter since his All-Star 2024 season, though he has big power to the opposite field and hits lefties well (.835 OPS). That makes him a good fit for Yankee Stadium's short right field fence and also a good fit for a righty-heavy Yankees lineup.
The Yankees have struggled badly to score runs since Aaron Judge (rib fracture) was placed on the injured list in early June, and especially so over the last few weeks. Since June 18, they're averaging 3.30 runs per game, dead last in baseball. The Yankees are also without Giancarlo Stanton (calf) and Cody Bellinger (hamstring), all of whom are still weeks away from returning.
Ramos fits best as a platoon hitter, but he could very well play every day for this version of the Yankees. He is the second position player the Yankees have added in the last 24 hours. They brought in slugging first baseman Luis García Jr. in a trade with the Washington Nationals over the weekend. García is in their lineup and batting third Monday night.
Despite their offensive trouble, the Yankees have won 13 of their last 20 games, and they're three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the loss column in the AL East. They sit in the top wild-card spot, though the Boston Red Sox have closed the gap.
Ramos is the fourth player the Giants have traded away at the deadline, joining lefties Robbie Ray (to the San Diego Padres) and Erik Miller (to the Red Sox), and second baseman Luis Arraez (to the Philadelphia Phillies).
MLB Pipeline ranked Lalane and Kent as the No. 5 and No. 13 prospects in New York's system. Here now are our grades for this 2 for 1 swap.
New York Yankees: C
Long-term control for much-needed bat
Ramos fills a need for the Yankees as a right-handed bat with power, though he's a poor defender and not enough of a needle-mover for a lineup that badly needs more length. He will remain under team control through 2029, so this is not a short-term buy. That said, Ramos has the skill set (homers and not much) that could make him a non-tender candidate at some point.
San Francisco Giants: B
Strong deadline may have saved Buster Posey
The Giants have salvaged a disappointing season with a strong trade deadline in a seller's market. In recent weeks, Lalane has again looked like one of New York's top pitching prospects after years of shoulder injuries. Kent is nothing like his father. He's a contact-over-power hitter from the left side of the plate. Both Lalane and Kent are in Single-A. For Ramos, a player who seemed to be playing his way out of San Francisco, it's a solid return for the Giants.
