After crowning a marvelous season, New York Yankees‘ infielder DJ LeMahieu couldn’t bring home the American League MVP award on Thursday night. He finished third in the ballot, behind winner Jose Abreu and runner-up Jose Ramirez. That doesn’t take anything away from the 32-year-old, who hit .364/.421/.590 with 10 home runs, a .429 wOBA, and a 177 wRC+.
Now that the MVP race is over, we can shift our focus to whether the New York Yankees will retain LeMahieu’s services or not. They badly need his batting prowess near or at the top of the lineup, not to mention his defensive versatility and quiet leadership.
LeMahieu is a free agent now that the two-year, $24 million pact he signed before the 2019 season expired. He gave the Yankees two phenomenal seasons, in which he led the team in fWAR with 5.4 (2019) and 2.5 (2020.)
The Yankees should prioritize bringing him back into the fold, as there aren’t many capable replacements in free agency that don’t require many pieces around to put together the infield.
He likes the Yankees and wants to stay
But the Yankees got some really good news on Thursday regarding where LeMahieu currently stands. He called the Bombers “a really good fit†before the MVP announcement. He loves playing on this team.
“I enjoy it,†LeMahieu said of the Bronx, per NJ Advance Media. “Every game feels like a big game. You feel like you’re under the spotlight, not getting away with anything in New York. I just feel like it’s a city that loves baseball and baseball is my passion.â€
He says that playing for a big-market team with such a huge fanbase as the Yankees certainly helps him stay focused. “Absolutely,†LeMahieu said. “It’s those dog days of August. The day games. You get a packed house. Everybody’s on board. Everybody wants to win. I think it heightens the focus and it’s a lot of fun.â€
During the regular season, he said he would like to remain with the Yankees in the long-term, and apparently, that hasn’t changed. He is said to be looking for a four-year deal.