There’s no longer any uncertainty about DJ LeMahieu‘s future with the Yankees.
The team officially designated the veteran infielder for assignment on Wednesday, just one day after a lineup reshuffling that kicked him off regular work at second base and into a new bench role.
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The writing was on the wall for LeMahieu, who’d been a shell of himself in recent seasons due to a slew of injuries. Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged on Tuesday that the 36-year-old isn’t considered an everyday player at this point, and the notion is undoubtedly backed by the numbers and eyetest.
“It’s been a tough couple of days. Some hard conversations, and then ultimately coming to this decision,” Boone said ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Mariners. “Obviously not easy for what has been a great player who has done a lot of great things for this organization. Difficult, but at the end, feel like this is the right thing to do at this time. Wish all the best for what’s been a great player.”
With limited range in the field and a weakened swing at the plate, LeMahieu offered little to the bottom of the Yankees’ order. While he was considered an option at third base entering the season, a calf injury in spring training delayed his debut until mid-May, and he ultimately slashed .266/.338/.336 with just five extra-base hits across 45 games (142 plate appearances).
LeMahieu became a player without a position on Tuesday when the Yankees decided to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to second base, where he’s far more comfortable and valuable. A return to third base was deemed too physically demanding by LeMahieu, according to Boone.
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“It ultimately comes down to how this roster sits,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “You want to provide your manager with enough chess moves to deal with on a day-in and day-out basis… At any point, we could’ve just kept rolling with it. But I met with DJ last night, met with DJ today. I ultimately made a decision that’s best for the roster configuration going forward.”
LeMahieu’s tenure with the Yankees started on an impressive note, as he finished fourth in AL MVP voting in 2019 with a career-high 26 home runs and 102 RBI. He then became the first player in baseball’s Modern Era (since 1900) to win a batting title in both leagues when he hit a stellar .364 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.
The Yankees signed LeMahieu to a six-year, $90 million extension before the 2021 campaign, and that investment clearly backfired. He didn’t hit above .270 in any season under the new deal, and he averaged just eight homers and 37 RBI during the five-year stretch. He’s still owed nearly $22 million on a contract that runs through 2026.
In a corresponding move, the Yankees called up infielder Jorbit Vivas from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
