New York Yankees‘ infielder DJ LeMahieu, despite missing a handful of games with a thumb injury during the 2020 season, has been the Bombers’ best and most consistent pure hitter whenever he’s been on the field.
The Yankees’ hitting machine is currently leading not only the American League, but the entire MLB in batting average with a .359 mark. He is set to be the first player to win a batting title in both leagues, having already taken the crown back in 2016 when he played in the old circuit with the Colorado Rockies.
Crazy things need to happen for LeMahieu not to take his first batting crown in the American League. Only Juan Soto (.346) and Freddie Freeman (.343) approach his register in the major leagues, but they both play in the NL. Among his direct AL competition, his closest competitor is Chicago White Sox’s shortstop Tim Anderson, with .328.
Yankees’ manager thinks LeMahieu’s batting title should be celebrated
Yankees manager Aaron Boone thinks the fact that the season is a shortened version of what the league usually plays year in and year out should not take any credit from LeMahieu, who is currently sporting a 174 wRC+ and is an MVP candidate in the AL.
“DJ has a chance to be the first guy ever to win it in both leagues,†Boone said, according to NJ Advance Media. “This game has been around for a long time and I think anyone who has watched just knows how special of a player DJ LeMahieu has been for us in these two years.â€
LeMahieu is set to become a free agent after the season ends, so the New York Yankees would need to make a decision on his future. Boone will surely welcome him back, as he is a valuable player both on offense and on defense.
As the Yankees are set to play in the postseason, LeMahieu will surely want a different ending to last year, when despite homering off All-Star closer Roberto Osuna to tie game 6 against the Astros, they were eliminated an inning later in the American League Championship Series.