Yankees: Gerrit Cole speaks out on DJ LeMahieu and what he means to the team

There’s not a single player on the New York Yankees that has said anything remotely bad about starting infielder DJ LeMahieu. General manager Brian Cashman is doing everything in his power to bring him back on a lucrative contract, but things have hit a wall. The Yankees don’t want to offer him a five-year deal since they’re already on the hook for Giancarlo Stanton and Gerrit Cole. The belief is that the two sides are about $25 million off.

At 32 years old, this would indicate that LeMahieu finishes the contract at 37. Making that much money could end up being a poor financial commitment for the Yankees down the road.

However, there are not many players like DJ in the MLB, and he’s one of the most consistent there is when it comes to fielding adequately and producing on offense. Since joining the Yankees, he’s never had a batting average under .327, earning a career-low 9.7% strikeout rate in 2021.

This past Thursday, ace Gerrit Cole spoke with YES Network reporter Meredith Marakovits on the state of the team and a few specific details. His statement about LeMahieu was right in line with the majority.

“True pro’s pro right. We talk about it amongst ourselves in the league, who everybody is a big fan of regardless if you’re competing against him or playing with them. DJ kind of sets the gold standard in that regard. He’s not changed much since the first time I played with him in the Fall League, I was impressed with him back then. The stoicism. The deliberate. The way he goes about his game. It’s nice to see him flourish. Obviously, I think very highly of his talent and his skill level but also hold in high regard the human being.