Yankees' Potential Third Base Replacement Suffers Setback in Rehab

The New York Yankees were hoping one of their internal options could slide in at third base, but said player suffered a setback in his injury rehab.

May 19, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Jon Berti (19) fields a ground ball and throws to first base for an out during the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees need to upgrade the third base position in the second-half, but their options are slim.

One internal possibility was the versatile Jon Berti, who has been on the injured list since May 25 with a left calf strain; however, Yankees manager Aaron Boone shared with reporters on Friday that the 34-year-old infielder suffered a setback in his rehab process. Berti will receive a PRP injection , and now his timeline to return, which initially appeared to be close, is looking murky.

Berti had a .273/.322/.327 slash line with a .649 OPS this season, but has been limited to just 17 games thanks to two separate IL stints. First, it was a groin strain in early-April that knocked him out for nearly a month before going down with a calf issue a few weeks after being activated.

The Yankees acquired Berti in a three-team trade with the Miami Marlins and AL East rival Rays, which saw New York send catcher Ben Rortvedt to Tampa Bay.

It's evident that the Yankees cannot count on the health of Berti nor the production of DJ LeMahieu, who has been unable to get anything going at the plate since coming back from a fractured foot in late-May.

But there aren't too many routes GM Brian Cashman can go when targeting the position on the trade market because Colorado Rockies All-Star third baseman Ryan McMahon is not being made available. Switch-hitter Luis Rengifo of the Los Angeles Angels is a potential fit, and can play second and third base, however, he has posted -3 outs above average at the hot corner this year. The Yankees would be sacrificing defense for offense if they were to land the 27-year-old.

The Yankees have World Series aspirations this season, and it's clear they must do something to bring in help at third base. Berti, an internal candidate, is unlikely to be a realistic option at this point.