3 Yankees who are playing their way out of team's 2027 plans during playoff hunt

With the regular season nearing its end, the New York Yankees will have one last chance to make up ground on the Tampa Bay Rays and take the American League East. It’s a slim chance, but with the roster that the Yankees have, it is possible. Unfortunately, a few players are holding the team back from reaching its full potential. These guys are actually playing so bad that they may be losing their pinstripes after the season. 

It’s no easy task to play under the bright lights in the Bronx. This can be especially true when the leaves start changing colors outside and the games have a distinct win-or-go-home feeling to them. Love it or hate it, Yankees fans simply have a higher expectation when it comes to their favorite team’s performance. 

With a chance to win the division over the last 8 days of the season, the Yankees will certainly feel the weight of those expectations getting heavier. If a player can’t perform, the fans will let them know. 

A handful of Yankees have a lot to prove before October, especially these three

At least three players on the Yankees roster may already be able to feel the fans circling the waters. From an inability to hit in the clutch to struggles to keep the ball in the yard, these players have been playing their way out of the everyday lineup. They have also potentially played their way off of the team in 2027. 

The final stretch of the season could be their last hope at stating their case for remaining on the Yankees' roster. If these guys can step up when it matters the most, all of their sins will be forgiven and nobody will remember the struggles. 

With a four-game series up ahead with the Rays, the Yankees still have a snowball's chance of completely changing the landscape of the playoff picture. And to do so, they need three players to turn their seasons around.  

Heliot Ramos

When the Yankees acquired Heliot Ramos at the trade deadline, it was an understandable move. Not a great move, but you could at least see where GM Brian Cashman was coming from when he pulled the trigger on the deal. With Aaron Judge in injury limbo, they needed some solid bats to fill the void. However, Ramos has been atrocious for the Yankees during his limited playing time. 

When he hits the ball, Ramos can hit it a long way. With an average exit velocity of 92.3 MPH in 2026, he ranks among the league’s best. The problem is that he struggles to even make contact. With whiff and chase rates that place him more towards the bottom of the league, Ramos has put up some ugly at-bats with the Yankees, and repeated outfield injuries have forced him to hit against right-handers, something he scuffles with.

Ramos isn’t a bad player, but he has simply not been a good fit on the Yankees’ roster, especially as the team makes one last push to take the AL East title. He is unable to play effective defense and his bat isn’t good enough to justify taking at-bats from other players on the roster. Cashman may end up shipping Ramos off in a trade package for a third baseman or pitcher in the offseason. With a timely late-inning hit in October, maybe that could change?    

Ryan McMahon

Speaking of third basemen, after digging himself into a hole to start the season, Ryan McMahon actually managed to turn things around and become a somewhat productive player for the Yankees. 10 home runs from a corner infielder is not usually what you’d want, but you’d live with the diminished power if he flashed an elite glove all season. But McMahon has shown some worrying regression on defense too, making it hard to justify his roster spot.  

To make matters worse, McMahon has completely bottomed out at the plate since returning from his recent IL stint. He’s currently sporting a .165/.225/.189 slash line in 37 at-bats this month. With a potential three-game Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox looming, having McMahon on the postseason roster would almost feel like a mistake. 

With one year left on his contract after this season, the Yankees may look to cut their losses and move on from McMahon. However, he will be owed $16 million next season, making it unlikely that a team would take on the third baseman without the Yankees eating a majority of the money.   

Tim Hill 

This one is difficult because how can anyone not love Tim Hill? He is a quirky player who has become a fan favorite since joining the Bronx Bombers in 2024. He also became one of the Yankees most valuable relievers down the stretch that season, helping them reach the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

However, Hill has faced his fair share of struggles this season, especially as we near the end of the regular season. Over his last 15.2 innings pitched, Hill has allowed 11 earned runs, including five home runs. With a sharp regression across the board, Hill is no longer an effective or viable option for Yankees manager Aaron Boone down the stretch. 

At 36 years old, Hill may have reached the end of the road in his MLB career. As a free agent after the season, it will be hard to imagine the Yankees bringing him back for another go around in 2027. At this point, it’s hard to imagine he’ll even be included on the postseason roster. It’s not fun, but unfortunately, it’s time.   

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow