The New York Yankees could further improve their roster this winter if they’re willing to move on from some of their veterans. There are options to get rid of, but none are more pressing than DJ LeMahieu.
LeMahieu, who has $30 million remaining from his $90 million deal, was once a very good player, earning three All-Star nods in his career. Unfortunately, his career has been derailed by injuries in recent years, and the Yankees have suffered because of it.
The issue with LeMahieu is that the Yankees would have to eat his money. Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media recently wrote an article titled “Yankees still have to eat $30 million on rapidly declining infielder,” highlighting all that’s gone wrong with LeMahieu.
“The Yankees still owe DJ LeMahieu $30 million from the six-year, $90 million deal they signed him to before the 2021 season. While the contract initially appeared to be a smart investment, it has now become a significant obstacle for a team looking to maintain a championship-caliber roster. LeMahieu’s rapid decline in recent seasons, exacerbated by injuries, has turned him from a cornerstone player to a potential liability,” Wilson wrote on December 29.
Do the Yankees Have Anything With LeMahieu?
Getting injured is part of the game, and if one team around Major League Baseball understands that, it’s the New York Yankees. LeMahieu, 36 years old, doesn’t have age on his side, either.
It’d be one thing if LeMahieu dealt with injuries but produced when healthy. Giancarlo Stanton has dealt with many injuries, too, but when he’s on the field, he’s been a big help to the Yankees’ success.
The same can’t be said for LeMahieu, which is why Wilson doesn’t believe it’s justifiable to keep him on the roster next year.
“Recurring injuries have played a major role in LeMahieu’s struggles. Over the past two seasons, he has battled various health issues that have limited his ability to stay on the field and perform at a high level. In 2023, he managed a more respectable slash line of .243/.327/.390 with 14 home runs and 44 runs batted in, but his inability to replicate that performance in 2024 raises concerns about whether he can rebound at his age.
“The Yankees’ decision to keep LeMahieu on the roster may hinge on his ability to stay healthy, but his declining durability makes it increasingly difficult to justify his $15 million annual salary — not that the Yankees have a choice but to pay it,” Wilson wrote.
LeMahieu Is Still in the Yankees Plans
The New York Yankees have the final say in all of this, and despite many fans not wanting LeMahieu on the roster, it sounds like he’ll be back in 2025.
Speaking with reporters, including Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, Yankees skipper Aaron Boone spoke about LeMahieu being in the mix if he’s healthy.
“I don’t want to rule that out because I feel like whatever we’ve seen the last couple of years and what’s in your mind, good health goes a long way in potentially putting him right back into the mix,” Boone said earlier in December at the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas.
Boone wasn’t the only one to say that, with Brian Cashman also saying, “We’ll see what happens.”
“I believe he’ll be healthy going into camp, and he’s looking forward to erasing the tough memories of the last two seasons,” Cashman said. “The injuries have derailed him. I know before the most recent injury hit, he looked good in spring. We started to get excited — that’s the guy. (This) is a new year. We’ll see what happens.”
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