According to MLB insider Jon Heyman of The New York Post, the Yankees’ plan “for now” is to give DJ LeMahieu a chance at winning a starting spot in the infield.
The versatile LeMahieu endured another season riddled with injuries and underperformance, but the team is hoping that if the veteran is healthy he can recapture some of the success he had earlier in his Yankee tenure.
That said, LeMahieu will turn 37-years-old in July and has not been the same player since re-signing with the Yankees on a six-year, $90 million deal ahead of the 2021 season.
Last year, LeMahieu fractured his foot in spring training and would not make his regular season debut until late-May. In just 67 games, LeMahieu slashed an anemic .204/.267/.259 with a .528 OPS and just two home runs.
A right hip impingement ended his campaign in the first week of September and he would not return to appear in the postseason during the Yankees’ run to the World Series.
It’s hard to justify the Yankees relying on the aging LeMahieu given his injury history and recent track record, but it doesn’t appear like the team is going to bring in another impactful infielder at this point.
Both free agent Alex Bregman and trade candidate Nolan Arenado appear to be unrealistic for the Yankees as of this date.
However, the Yankees have been linked to veteran options such as Jorge Polanco, Brendan Rodgers and Paul DeJong. They also showed interested in Gavin Lux before the Los Angeles Dodgers ultimately traded the second baseman to the Cincinnati Reds.
The Yankees will likely add an experienced infielder that can play both second and third base to include in the mix of LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza who all could be competing in the spring for a starting spot.
The Yankees will have to decide whether they’re going to keep Jazz Chisholm Jr. at third base or move him back to his natural position at second base. That’s why it makes the most sense to bring in a candidate who can play both.
When Gleyber Torres left for the Detroit Tigers on a one-year, $15 million deal, the Yankees lost their second baseman and leadoff hitter. These are two areas the club must address, but they might wind up looking internally in order to do so.
Counting on LeMahieu to be the club’s starting third baseman for an entire season is a risk. But it sounds like he will at least be given a shot to prove he’s healthy and can still produce ahead of the 2025 campaign.