Aaron Boone breaks down Ryan McMahon’s early-season struggles at the plate

Ryan McMahon was brought to the Bronx to provide a steady left-handed bat for the New York Yankees‘ lineup, but through the first nine games of the 2026 season, the results haven’t quite matched the expectations.

With McMahon struggling to find his rhythm at the plate, manager Aaron Boone was asked to weigh in on his new infielder’s slow start following the Yankees’ narrow 7-6 loss to the Marlins on Sunday.

“He’s just been a little bit in-between, not wanting to chase or make a bad decision,” Boone told reporters. “He’s seeing the ball, but the timing isn’t quite synced up yet.”

A statistical deep dive

The surface-level numbers are enough to make any Yankees fan uneasy. McMahon is currently mired in a 2-for-23 skid to open the regular season. For a fan base with championship-or-bust expectations, and Aaron Judge delivering leadership message in Bronx, every hitless night feels magnified, especially as the team looks to maintain its early momentum in the AL East.

Ryan McMahon of the Yankees during the American League Division Series in 2025.

However, a closer look at the analytics suggests McMahon isn’t exactly lost at the plate:

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• Games Played: 9
• Slash Line: .087 / .276 / .087
• Home Runs: 0
• RBIs: 2
• Walks: 6
• Strikeouts: 11

While the .087 batting average is jarring, his .276 On-Base Percentage (OBP) tells a different story. The nearly 200-point gap between his average and OBP is fueled by six walks, a clear indication that McMahon isn’t “chasing” out of desperation. He’s showing elite plate discipline; he just isn’t barreling up the pitches he does swing at.

Offensive silver linings

Fortunately for Boone, the rest of the Bombers’ lineup has picked up the slack. Despite Sunday’s defeat, the Yankees sit at a strong 7-2, thanks in large part to a surge from the youth movement.

Among the early standouts is rookie Ben Rice. The young catcher/first baseman has been a revelation, providing the offensive spark the Yankees needed to offset McMahon’s cold spell.

As long as the team continues to win series, the coaching staff seems content to let McMahon find his swing, but in New York, the leash is never infinitely long.

• Ben Rice (1B/DH)
  • Batting Average: .360
  • OPS: 1.244
  • Home Runs: 2

• Giancarlo Stanton (DH)
  • Batting Average: .393
  • OPS: 1.004

• Cody Bellinger (CF/DH)
  • Batting Average: .286
  • OBP: .400

• Aaron Judge (RF)
  • Home Runs: 3 (Team Leader)
  • RBIs: 7 (Team Leader)