“I think I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t recognize what a contribution he made to the club and how good of a player he is,†Steinbrenner said on “The Michael Kay Show†on ESPN Radio in New York. “I recognize both those things. I’ll leave it at that.â€
The expectation is that LeMahieu will earn somewhere between $20-25 million per season, but with the Yankees trying to stay under the $210 million luxury tax threshold, retaining him might be a bit problematic. Luckily, they have three starting pitchers coming off the books, opening up $52 million in available money. Jacoby Ellsbury’s contract is also providing an extra $21 million, which could be used to sign LeMahieu.
I am quite confident the Yankees will find a way to keep their best player, as letting him go will significantly impact their infield and batting order. There’s really only one scenario where letting DJ go is justifiable, and it involves acquiring shortstop Francisco Lindor.
It is also important to mention the threat that new Mets owner Steve Cohen presents. Cohen has stated that he vigorously wants to attack free agency and doesn’t care about spending money as one of the richest owners in the MLB. He just wants to put together something “great†— a team that wins and has all of the players necessary to do so.
The Wilpon’s undoubtedly didn’t help the team succeed, but finding the right professionals to put together a squad with unlimited capital to spend will certainly be fun to watch. The Yankees have a new competitor in town and one that is going to steal free agents in the future.