With the Juan Soto sweepstakes, MLB’s Hot Stove, and the Yankees’ various needs dominating the conversation this offseason, one Bronx Bomber has become a forgotten part of the equation.
That would be DJ LeMahieu, the two-time batting champ who looked like a shell of his former self while battling aches and pains in 2024. After having the start of his campaign delayed by a broken foot, LeMahieu’s season ended with a hip impingement as he watched the Yankees’ run to the World Series from the bench. In between the two injuries, the 36-year-old veteran slashed .204/.269/.259 with just two home runs, seven extra-base hits and 26 RBI over 67 games.
After showing decline for the last few seasons, which included a foot/toe injury in 2022, 2024 was easily the worst year of LeMahieu’s career after he entered spring training as Aaron Boone’s preferred leadoff man and starting third baseman. Expectations for LeMahieu won’t be nearly as high this spring.
“I’m certainly hopeful that at some point DJ LeMahieu can play a role for us,” Brian Cashman said at the GM Meetings last month, “but I’m going to evaluate all options right now that are available to us.”
While LeMahieu can play first, second and third — three positions of uncertainly for the Yankees when the offseason began — a lot would have to go wrong for him to become a regular starter again. Perhaps he could be a versatile bench piece who can move around the infield, but the Yankees have other flexible defenders and little reason to believe in LeMahieu’s bat.
However, the team is hoping that good health leads to better results.
“I would never cross off a player of his caliber, even though it’s been obviously a tough couple of years,” Boone said at the Winter Meetings.
While Boone didn’t rule out the possibility of LeMahieu becoming an everyday player again, there’s a case to be made that the Yankees can use his 40-man roster spot in better ways.
Of course, clearing that spot would come with a hefty financial cost.
LeMahieu still has two years and $30 million left on the six-year, $90 million contract he signed with the Yankees before the 2021 season. That’s no small amount of money, though the team has shown a willingness to move on from players owed similar sums over the years. Recent examples include Aaron Hicks, Alex Rodriguez and Jacoby Ellsbury.
With LeMahieu’s remaining money in the Yankees’ ballpark comfort zone, could the team and player part ways prior to Opening Day?
While the Yankees would certainly prefer to not eat another bad contract, it’s possible that LeMahieu has already played his last official game for the team. Of course, the Yankees will want to get a look at him in Tampa before making any costly decisions, all the while hoping that LeMahieu shows he’s still capable of contributing.
“We’ll see,” Boone said. “He got a lot healthier by the end of the season. He was working, so I’m still not going to be surprised if DJ hits on some level for us. It comes down to health and can he maintain that health to allow him to put out his at-bat, his approach, his swing. I feel really good about where he was at the very end of the season physically.”
