It is no surprise that the New York Yankees are looking to retain star infielder DJ LeMahieu, especially after winning the batting title this past season and enjoying two consecutive years of All-Star caliber play.
LeMahieu joined the Yankees from the Colorado Rockies as a free agent, hitting above .327 in both years with the Bombers, compiling 36 homers and 129 RBIs. He struck out 9.7% of the time this past year and had an 8.3% walk rate. Offensively, he is the Yankees’ best player and most consistent hitter, but his defense is where he wins awards.
LeMahieu is a three-time Gold Glove winner and has the ability to play every spot in the infield at an average to an above-average level.
Recent reports indicated that the Yankees were all in on extending LeMahieu on a significant contract. Luckily, they have $52 million opening up from three starting pitchers departing and $21 million from Jacoby Ellsbury’s contract. This allows management to allocate a significant deal toward DJ, one that he has undoubtedly earned.
A report by Pat Ragazzo indicates that limit he was looking for a five-year deal, but is willing to settle for less money if the Yankees are willing to offer him that timeline. DJ, who’s currently 32 years old, would finish his ideal contract at 37.
Sources: DJ LeMahieu is currently seeking a 5-year contract and is willing to take less money to stay with the #Yankees
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) November 19, 2020
The Bombers don’t usually like to extend players into that age range, but LeMahieu has proven he can be a consistent threat on both sides of the ball. He’s much more than just a slugger, he’s one of the best contact hitters in baseball and an elite defender.
If I were general manager Brian Cashman, I would be willing to offer LeMahieu a five-year deal, averaging $22 million per season with a club option after the fourth year. That would allow them to escape any significant damage of age takes a significant toll but allowing him to cash in with his last maximum deal.