After a month-long hiatus, the Yankees sign a new contract with the second baseman DJ LeMahieu, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (via Twitter). The terms of the potential deal are not yet known, but the deal could be completed as quickly as it is today, according to Morosi. LeMahieu is represented by Wasserman.
LeMahieu, 32, has been the Yankees’ top priority all season. General manager Brian Cashman admitted so much a few weeks back, but the club apparently also allowed LeMahieu to explore his options on the open market, rather than follow the Yankees of old and simply give him a blank check in front of him. to write. The interest between the two parties was mutual, and it has long been clear that the Yankees would have the opportunity to meet any offer LeMahieu received elsewhere. The impending reunion will certainly amount to higher than its initial agreement, which was apparently a bargain; reports recently suggested that LeMahieu looked up Josh Donaldson$ 92 million a year contract – ideally on a five-year deal.
The focus on LeMahieu is more than understandable for the Yankees, who two years ago looked like a strange fit for the longtime Rockies second-back when he signed a two-year, $ 24MM, contract to come to the Bronx. The Yankees already boasted a relatively full field, but injuries and LeMahieu’s immediate, best career production quickly worked him into the driver. Aaron Boone‘s lineup. The versatile LeMahieu action was not only on the second base, but also inside the corners, and became not only the Yankees’ most productive hit at that time, but also an MVP candidate in the American league .
During his two seasons in New York, LeMahieu showed an excellent .336 / .386 / .536 batting line – including a superhuman .364 / .421 / .590 line in the 2020 truncated season. The 364th appearance was the second time in his career that LeMahieu led the league on average – he also won a batting title with the Rockies in 2016 – but he never put together that kind of power before ending up in New York. The Yankee Stadium was the perfect fit for LeMahieu, who has been leading the Majors in the opposite off-road race for the past few seasons, after taking full advantage of the short sidewalk of his new home park in the right field.
This, of course, is not to reduce LeMahieu’s production with the Yankees. He is still one of the toughest players in all of baseball to succeed thanks to his excellent bat-to-ball skills, and LeMahieu has increased his hard hitting and exit speed since his days at Coors Field. LeMahieu’s 12.7 percent pass rate is the seventh lowest in all baseball among qualified players over the past two seasons, and he has the eighth lowest swing hit rate of any player in the Majors at that time.
A reunion with the Yankees means LeMahieu will remain the primary second man, with Gleyber Torres repeating his role on shortstop. There are many questions about Torres’ ability to be a strong or even average defender after a few seasons under pressure due to disorder, but the club has publicly expressed confidence that Torres can take on the challenge.
LeMahieu and Torres will then be introduced as the Yankees’ doubles tandem in the foreseeable future, with Gio Urshela and Luke Voit hold the interior corners. That still leaves the former Rookie of the Year runner-up Miguel Andujar without a clear path to everyday bats, although he still has a small league option, and he can also be used as a frequently used viewing time on third, first and left field.
The adjustment in the draft was always obvious, but the fit in the Yankees budget was another question. The Yanks, of course, have deeper pockets than almost any team in the league, but after last year’s spending level of the franchise record – the Yorees’ $ 108 million paid wage was greater than the full season salary of several teams would have been – Owner Hal Steinbrenner reportedly planned to lower the team’s payroll and fall below the $ 210 million luxury tax threshold.
The possible departure of free agents from JA Happ, James Paxton, Brett Gardner and Masahiro Tanaka help to drive down, as it did Tommy Kahnleis not soft, but it has been clear for months that the Yankees do not have the aggression that the Gerrit Cole to New York on an MLB record deal for a pitcher. Even without a single addition, the Yankees are only estimated at $ 181MM in terms of luxury tax liabilities, according to Jason Martinez of Roster Resource, and the addition of a $ 20MM + salary for LeMahieu will eat up two-thirds to three-quarters. of the space that separates the Yankees and that competitive balance threshold.
More to come.