New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu went 1-for-3 on Monday afternoon, with that hit being his first home run of the season. We should lead with that, because the two-time batting champion has gone through a lot in recent games and was the subject of considerable (and probably deserved) criticism because of his performance.
Even after the home run, LeMahieu is hitting a paltry .181/.276/.228 with a .504 OPS in 146 plate appearances this season. He is clearly declining and recently turned 36 years old. At times, he has looked lost at the plate, and even in his last at-bat on Monday, he struck out in three pitches and didn’t look good in the process.
His home run on Monday, as Yankees insider Chris Kirschner speculated, might buy him some more time in the Bronx, but one can’t help but think this will end up in a similar way as the Aaron Hicks saga.
In May 2023, the Yankees designated the struggling Hicks for assignment, and he was later released with multiple years left on his contract. The team decided that the roster spot he was occupying was more valuable than the millions of dollars they owed the outfielder, and had to eat that money to grant him his freedom.
- Yankees could turn to familiar face in reunion with relief arm
- Yankees cross $301 million tax threshold, indicating a potential salary dump trade
- Yankees overhauled one critical element in the outfield
The Yankees would have to eat a lot of money to move on from LeMahieu
LeMahieu, just like Hicks at the time, has two years left plus what remains of the 2024 campaign. The Yankees would be eating more than $30 million, but if he doesn’t show consistent improvement over the next few games, that could be his fate.
LeMahieu has 10-5 rights so a trade is essentially out of the question, and we should also consider the fact that no one will want him at that price, at his age, and with his overall body of work in 2024.
If the Yankees are serious about contending, they should eventually bite the bullet and move on from one of the best hitters they had in the last decade. He probably doesn’t have what it takes to give the Yanks a competitive edge anymore, and that’s OK: Father Time is undefeated. There is no shame in declining. It’s the team the one that has to make the tough decision at this point.
