Subscribe
Follow Us
In his prime DJ LeMahieu was an incredibly valuable player, blending elite defense with impressive offensive production. But injuries and age have diminished the three-time All-Star and, in the middle of his seventh season with the New York Yankees, LeMahieu was designated for assignment.
While the Yankees are done with DJ, LeMahieu isn’t done with baseball. The 37-year-old infielder is looking to sign with a new team. And he has a strategy in mind.
LeMahieu “plans to wait until the trade deadline passes before signing with another team. He didn’t want to join a club and then suddenly find his spot in jeopardy if his new team acquired another player,” according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
It’s a reasonable approach, particularly considering LeMahieu just lost his starting spot in New York. And the Yankees had the confidence to cut him in large part because the team was preparing to add a third baseman via trade.
DJ LeMahieu is biding his time after Yankees release
When LeMahieu joined the Yankees in 2019, he had career highs in home runs (26), RBI (102), runs (109), hits (197) and bWAR (5.6) while displaying his defensive versatility. He finished fourth in MVP voting that year. The following season, LeMahieu won the batting title, hitting .364, and led the league in bWAR while finishing third in the MVP race.
LeMahieu’s defense held up in the following years – he won his fourth-career Gold Glove in 2022 as a utility player, fielding three positions. But his offense waned. And by 2024 he had become a liability at the plate, slashing .206/.269/.336 with a 52 OPS+ and -1.6 bWAR in 67 games.
After a lingering left calf strain pushed his 2025 season debut back to May 13, LeMahieu started slow but raised his average to .266 in July. However he had a .674 OPS with just two home runs, 12 RBI, 13 runs scored and an OPS+ of 90 after 45 games with New York.
The Yankees needed to make a change and manager Aaron Boone demoted LeMahieu to a bench player role. But the 15th-year veteran believes he still has plenty to offer as he seeks a new club.
With New York on the hook for $22 million in salary through the 2026 season, LeMahieu could sign for a prorated portion of the league minimum this year. Given his no-risk price, versatility and experience, LeMahieu shouldn't have trouble finding a team. Finding a role as an everyday starter, however, could prove more difficult.
