When the New York Yankees acquired Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on July 26, it wasn’t the kind of move that makes headlines or sells jerseys. But it was exactly the kind of move a team desperate for stability needed. After months of shuffling through a carousel of underwhelming options at third base, the Yankees finally found a player who could do something few others on the roster could—make the routine plays look easy and the hard ones look possible.

In exchange for pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz, the Yankees landed McMahon, a steady glove and a veteran presence at the hot corner. He wasn’t a superstar, and no one expected him to be. But after watching balls skip past infielders and throws sail wide for much of the season, simply having someone reliable felt

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