Multiple sources have reported that the Washington Nationals are one of the many teams in pursuit of New York Yankees second-basemen DJ LeMahieu in free agency. Washington is also reportedly interested in acquiring Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs in a trade.
The Nationals were in the mix for LeMahieu two years ago, but eventually lost out to the Yankees. Washington would regret losing the bidding war, as LeMahieu played his two seasons in New York in elite form.
LeMahieu wasted no time getting going in New York, batting .310 in the first month of the season. The team signed him as a utility man, so his output through April was better than anyone expected.
As more and more players fell to the injury bug, it became more and more clear that LeMahieu would become the every day second-baseman. That’d become even more clear once he hit .323 in May with 5 home runs and 17 RBIs.
The hotter it got in the concrete jungle, the hotter LeMahieu got. His June resulted in a .395 average, 6 home runs, 29 RBIs, and an OPS just shy of 1.100. He’d win the AL Player of the Month award, and go on to stay hot all summer.
LeMahieu finished the 2019 season with a .327 average, 26 home runs, and 102 RBIs. His OPS was nearly .900 with his OPS+ finishing at 135. He finished fourth in MVP voting, and was second in the race for the batting title.
2020’s COVID-19 shortened season was just as spectacular for LeMahieu. With a .364 average, he won his second career batting title, hit 10 home runs and drove in 27.
With how great LeMahieu’s been in New York, the Yankees can’t afford to let him walk to anyone, not just the Nationals.