The New York Yankees' recent decline has been deafening: They have now lost 14 of their last 19 games and were swept this week by the Cincinnati Reds, who are below .500.

With the trade deadline approaching in 25 days, it is obvious that GM Brian Cashman will have to work hard to reshape his roster before July 30 to position the Yankees well for a deep postseason run.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are a potential trade partner, but likely haven't decided whether to buy or sell yet, as they are just 2.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot as of this writing. However, they are under .500 and have star first baseman Christian Walker on an expiring contract.

MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post revealed that AL rival Houston Astros reportedly consider Walker as their “dream target.”

Regardless, the Yankees need to be aggressive and Walker would be a huge asset at first base on both sides of the field.

The 33-year-old is second in the league with seven outs above average at first base and has won a Gold Glove Award in each of the last two seasons.

He's no slouch as a hitter either, having hit 22 home runs this season and posting a slash line of .271/.345/.526 and an OPS of .871 in 87 games.

Walker may be a rental, but it would make sense for the Diamondbacks to trade him for young players while they're still fighting for a wild card spot. The Yankees can't let the Astros take him because that would hurt their chances of winning the AL championship. New York is all in, as Juan Soto will be a free agent after the season, and Walker could help overcome their problems.

In addition to Walker, Heyman said his Arizona teammate, third baseman Eugenio Suarez, could also be shipped out if the Diamondbacks slack off. Suarez could be signed in a deal with Walker, and the Yankees would kill two birds with one stone considering how little production they've gotten from the corner infield positions this season.

Although Suarez isn't having a great year, he could rediscover his power in a lineup with two of the game's brightest stars, Soto and AL MVP favorite Aaron Judge. Suarez, 32, has hit 252 home runs in his career and hit 49 home runs in 2019. He's hit just six home runs in 83 games this season, but he's hit 22 of them in 2023.

Top prospect Ben Rice has impressed at first base since being called up, but bringing in Walker would allow the Yankees to move him back to his traditional position of catcher. If Walker is available at the deadline, the Yankees should absolutely have him; Arizona could also sign Suarez.