JULY 17: LeMahieu is back on the field, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News tweets.
JULY 15: Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu has been on the shelf since July 4 because of a positive COVID-19 test, but he’s nearing a return to the club. LeMahieu is expected to rejoin the Yankees this week, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
It’s obviously a relief that LeMahieu has gotten past the virus in a relatively short amount of time. Considering the time LeMahieu missed, it’s unknown if he’ll be ready for the Yankees’ opener on July 23. Nevertheless, he’ll play a key role when he does make his 2020 debut.
LeMahieu, a former Rockie and Cub, signed a two-year, $24MM contract with the Yankees before 2019 and unexpectedly produced like one of the majors’ elite players. Along with hitting an exemplary .327/.375/.518 (136 wRC+) with 26 home runs and 5.4 fWAR in 655 plate appearances, he added great value as a defender, appearing in 40 or more games at second, third and first. LeMahieu will be the Yankees’ primary second baseman this year, joining shorstop Gleyber Torres to comprise their double-play tandem.
It’s in question what the future will hold for the 32-year-old LeMahieu after 2020, as he’s due to re-enter free agency in a few months. Before spring training shut down in March, LeMahieu told Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News he and the Yankees hadn’t engaged in serious extension talks. Nothing has changed on that front, per Ackert (though the league did halt all extension discussions during the shutdown).
Great news on DJ, man.
I’m sure Rockie fans know this, but jeeez he’s a nice player; makes a lot of contact, *hard* contact, runs the bases well, plays all out, & is fantastic with the leather.
I was pining for Machado. Ooops!
Good to hear he’s on the mend. Yanks need him.
I thought at the time of his signing that he was excessive. The Yankees don’t need a $12M a year utility man. Boy… was I wrong. WB DJ! He’s been asymptomatic so I’d imagine he has been continuing to get ready for the season. I expect to see him in the lineup on Opening Day.
I would expect that too, but the article suggests otherwise.
I’m curious, not from a place of cynicism, but from a lack of knowledge of the athleticism and preparation needed for games of seasonal consequence — why wouldn’t he be ready for opening day?
Spring training, or summer camp, is good to get players in the flow of the game and the repetitions it requires, but if a player of DJ’s abilities and presumed work ethic, would he need extra time for a shortened season?
Not looking to argue, just potentially educate myself from this community.
It’s a fair point. I’ve changed the sentence because it probably was too definitive earlier. Thank you.
@justwhoami
Even at the top level and with the talent of DJ, it takes players a few weeks to get timing down for major league pitching. The early part of spring training that they got in, they’re often taking at bats against low level minor leaguers or even college players. It’s not until the end of spring (which was canceled) that they get consistent at bats against top level pitching. I would be surprised if he’s ready for opening day, not because of conditioning or work ethic, but just from not being ready to face the best.
Cool that makes sense. Thanks!
“It’s obviously a relief that LeMahieu has gotten past the virus in a relatively short amount of time.”
A relief, sure, but not a surprise. It’s highly likely (not certain, but over 99%) that every positive player will return in a relatively short amount of time.
Hopefully the high probability continues to play out in our favor..
The return of D.J. is music to the Yankees’ ears. If healthy they will definitely take him for a spin.
Cute and thumbs up, but I’m not sure trying to fit an automotive cliche into a vinyl record pun works LOL. A for effort though. Better than anything I could come up with. I think I’m jealous because of the “gem” the Yankees found in the “Rockies” scrapheap.
Glad he’s well hopefully he can pay me the $20 bucks he owes me now that he’ll be getting game checks
D.J is such a good player. That $24 million dollar 2 year contract was a steal for the Yankees. Hopefully they can sign him to a extension this season and keep him in Pinstripes for the rest of his career. What a productive player he has been. Yanks didn’t need Harper or Machado he was the way to go
Steal for the Yankees? You mean luxury right? How many teams can pay $12 million to a utility player in MLB? Dodgers Red Sox and Yanks which is it
Yes steal. This guy was previously a two-time All-Star and gold Glover. Yanks got a steal and he came through.
DJ is more than just a utility player. He’s a great defensive player and makes great contact. A solid starting second baseman. I wish the Yankees had more contact hitters like him. Judge,Stanton and Sanchez the heart of the batting order strike out too much. If only the Yankees had a great lead off hitter who can run and bat DJ second. Look out!!!
Yes I hear you. My Red Sox have a gaping hole at second base and have had it for several years. Hopefully young guy Chavis comes through this year
So is your thing to go on every thread and kinda gripe about Judge, Stanton, & Gary striking out?
That’s really how baseball is going.
Speaking of K’s do you by any chance recall a player named Reggie Jackson?
He was pretty good.
Lotta strikeouts, though.
So.
@Ducky – I don’t think he was complaining, he was just stating facts. All 3 do strike out too much and having contact hitters like DJ really helps to balance out their lineup. When all 3 are on, the Yankees can put up 12+ runs, but when they go 1-10 with 8 K’s and leave 7 RISP, the DJs of the world still give them a great chance to win. If the Yankees had a true lead off hitter, they’d be unstoppable.
True leadoff hitter = Aaron Hicks, @mantooth.
Switch hitter, great eye, high OBP, and certainly has the wheels to swipe some bags.
It’s the TTO era, man. K’s abound. Yeah, these guys “strike out too much”…in 1974, or whatever.
It’s a different game than it was.
Good chance in a normal season they’ll all K ~ 200 times/year. That certainly *used* to be a Big Deal.
That being said they’ll all probably have OBP’s > than .900. That’s good!
We can disagree on our preferred aesthetic of the league. But, “striking out too much” needs to be viewed in the proper context: i.e. the modern game.
Having guys like DJ & Andujar is great. No argument from me on that. They do lend a different look/approach to our lineup. But, the above poster has brought the strikeouts up over & over. To the extent he’s used it to advocate an Aaron Judge trade!
Which is…ya know… sorta a trip to crazy town.
Yeah, I understand Ducky but it does hurt NY a little more in that they usually bat these 3 guys back to back to back. They can back breakers or rally killers. But in today’s game, K’s do not matter nearly as much as they once did.
Hicks has the tools to be an above average lead off hitter but that’s based on one really good season. He needs to be able to stay on the field for multiple years and produce before he is anointed a Top 5 lead-off hitter. Then he’d finally start earning that money too 😉
Actually, I would like to see the Yankees stack those guys together more than they really do.
I’ve no problem with it.
Lot easier to score runs on one swing of the bat than to try and scratch up a few consecutive hits.
I’m more than fine when they break them up with Gleybae. But doing it with Didi grew old.
I’m not anointing him top 5. He certainly could be, however. We both agree the ability is there. Also, his contract has an AAV of 10 mil. Generally, 1 WAR is worth 8-9 mil on the free agent market.
Hicks’ deal is eminently team friendly. For example, he’s making less than say… Jackie Bradley Jr, this year.
As – ya know – a random example.
😉
Mets- they paid Jed Lowrie signed a 2 year / $20,000,000 contract with the New York Mets,- Think about that.
Giants, cubs and many other could have paid that.
johnnydubz – By your implications, because the Yankees have money, they can throw money at a “utility player.” However, DJL was coming off a 2.5 WAR season (hardly utility level production). I think you are confusing defensive versatility with what a utility player actually is. Compare that to the A’s signing Khris Davis for $16M per season while coming off a 2.9 WAR. I bring up the A’s because they are known as “small market” with a very advanced and lauded front office. They had the same opportunity to sign DJL to play DH and be a utility player, instead they opted for the offensive-minded Khris Davis for MORE money. The result, 5.2 oWAR v. -0.5 oWAR. This ignores the additional value DJL brings with his defensive versatility. So, yes, DJL was a steal. Usually people say steal to mean “getting more value than what you pay.” If the A’s can spend $16M on a DH, they most certainly can afford to pay $12M for a player that provides even more value overall.
If DJ LeMahieu is a utility player is the best utility player ever to play the game!!!
At $12 million he’d be a steal for the Marlins.
But not for the Pirates
I like Estrada and Wade backing up that infield.
I really like Wade and Estrada as well. It’s too bad they may have to thrive somewhere else. Wade needs consistent ABs he has the ability to be a great lead off hitter with that speed. Sometimes great depth can be good or bad especially when players like Wade,Estrada, Frazier,Andujar Tauchman, etc only play 1-2 times a week. Hard to get the timing down when you don’t know when your playing time will come.
Will the real DJ please stand up!!! Just so glad he’s back! Time for an extension already for this MVP type of player and person
Nah gotta go with DJ almost everyday. I like Estrada and Wade. Their utility players on the Yankees. Their future is somewhere else like Cleveland when they get moved for Frankie Lindor at the trading deadline August 31st with others like Frazier, Montgomery, and Garcia.
Wow Do you really think Yankees can get Lindor for Estrada, Frazier, Montgomery,Garcia,and possibly Andujar. I have a feeling Lindor going somewhere else. Lindor at the top of that lineup is the dream scenario. Lindor, DJ,Judge Torres,Stanton, Voit, Sanchez, Gardy very impressive.
That would be a tempting offer for Cleveland to consider for sure. Andujar would need to part of the deal and is the real gem of the group, but Monty & Garcia add considerable value too. I’m not a big fan of Frazier but if he’s included, they could spin him off in a separate deal.
The real question is would the Yankees be willing to trade for and extend Lindor with Stanton, Torres and Sanchez getting much more expensive over the coming years and the need to spend money on their starting rotation after 2020 is up? If they did all of this, they would be looking at annual payrolls of $250M+ which not only means huge tax bills but losses of draft picks as well. Definitely tempting to pursue adding Lindor and paying penalties as a result.
There is little in that offer that would be tempting to the Indians. Each piece in the offer, including Andujar, come with many warts and concerns. Where can Andujar play defensively? He has shown that he can not play 3B. He is showing this summer that he will be a liability in the outfield. He is a DH which lessens his trade value. Again, in my opinion, there is nothing in the Yankees’ available pieces that would excite the Indians. Besides, with Tanaka and Paxton free agents at the end of 2020, can the Yankees afford to trade Montgomery and Garcia?
Absolutely spinning Andujar to the Brewers who need hitting and getting Josh Hader makes plenty of sense. I like the Indians a lot. No reason why they still couldn’t win the AL Central or be a wild card team after trading Lindor and or Clevinger
Absolutely maybe a little more for Lindor then that. How bout expanding the deal and get Clevinger? No doubt Luke Voit and maybe a Al Abreu would have to included. But why not? Yanks basically have the prospects to get it done. I don’t want to see the Dodgers get Lindor and Clevinger
Cegmyster, The Indians, with their starting pitching, will likely be in contention at the August 31st deadline so don’t expect Francisco Lindor to be available. Second, why would you think that Cleveland would want the Yankee scraps and utility players for a star like Lindor. Each and every contender would be able to beat that deal. Andujar & Frazier has limited value and are nothing more than a DHs which the Indians do not need. Wade and Estrada are not pieces that would drive any major trade. Pitching is not a major need of the Indians, besides Garcia’s size is a real concern on whether or not he can hold up as a starting pitcher. Look at the issues that Luis Severino is having with his health. New York’s available pieces will not get Lindor, Clevinger, or any major Cleveland piece as those pieces do not fit the needs of the Cleveland Indians.
John- I thought the same thing too, but Andujar is a very tempting asset to consider. He spent the winter working on his defense and a lot of that was spent in the OF. If he can transition to the OF successfully, he could really anchor the Indians lineup in the 3-hole for the next decade. This 60 day sprint will be extremely important for him and his value.
It is a very big IF in my opinion and the main piece of any Lindor can not be an IF. If Andujar ends up at DH, his value continues to drop. I just don’t see a match between the Indians and the Yankees.
There is little in that offer that would be tempting to the Indians. Each piece in the offer, including Andujar, come with many warts and concerns. Where can Andujar play defensively? He has shown that he can not play 3B. He is showing this summer that he will be a liability in the outfield. He is a DH which lessens his trade value. Again, in my opinion, there is nothing in the Yankees’ available pieces that would excite the Indians. Besides, with Tanaka and Paxton free agents at the end of 2020, can the Yankees afford to trade Montgomery and Garcia?
If not Lindor the Yankees still need a legitimate lead off hitter. Love DJ but he more suited to bat second. I can only hope Wade eventually develops and becomes the lead off hitter. Never underestimate team speed. The best Yankees teams had Knoblauch and Jeter or Damon and Jeter 1 and 2 in the lineup.
Cleveland will get a haul but it’s going to cost you a young catcher,pitching,other players and prospects.
If Cleveland is close at the deadline,they are also going to want a replacement for Lindor. Something like
Frazier/Andújar/Garcia,plus 2 Yankee SS prospects & others. Maybe Wade or Estrada to play SS for a month.
They do not want to acquire expiring contracts,nor someone that will cost them $$$$ the next two odd seasons while they shed bad contracts,of wedge them in with Lindor. But I doubt it. You trade a premium player to get value,not to duck.
Frazier has little value due to his past and poor defense. Andujar, also, is a man without a position. The Indians do not need or would want two more DHs. Again, the Yankees available pieces do not meet the needs of the Cleveland Indians.
Yeah but hockey john you don’t have to keep all those Yankee pieces. You could move Andujar for Josh Hader.
Cleveland has two young fireballers that will likely be the two competing for the job as closer when Brad Hand moves on that will fit their budget. New York does not have the pieces to get Lindor and especially Clevinger. Your quantity for quality trade does not meet the needs of the Cleveland Indians.
The Bottom line is the Yankees could offer Torres and others for Lindor and most likely the answer still NO. Much like when I talk to family and friends that are Mets fans and I mention Torres and Sanchez for DeGrom they laugh and say NO WAY!!!! Most of the time teams refuse to deal with the Yankees. Like the Pirates originally dealing Cole to Houston for a lesser package.
If I’m the Dodgers I go all in to guarantee a World Series winner. Offer Lux, May, Keibert Ruiz for Lindor. The Cubs were desperate and traded Torres for Chapman to guarantee a World Series. Dodgers I’m thinking they are very close to desperation time it’s been way too long. Lindor, Betts, Bellinger, Turner, Muncy, etc. that’s a scary lineup
I absolutely agree with you that package for Lindor and Clevinger would be the best offer and should be considered. The Indians would be crazy not to accept that offer
The Indians would be smart to trade Lindor and Clevinger right now. They will never be able to get these many prospects or major league players then they can right now. The Dodgers won’t do it. Yanks can offer a lot. Devi Garcia, Al Abreu, Clint Frazier, Miguel Andujar and either Tyler Wade or Thairo Estrada, And either Jordan Montgomery or Domingo German
Ok new offer to the Indians for Lindor, Clevinger and Bradley Zimmer. Yanks trade Frazier, Andujar, Voit, Garcia, Abreu, and either Jordan Montgomery or Domingo German and either Tyler Wade or Thairo Estrada. That sounds pretty fair to me
Cleveland would laugh and quickly hang up the phone. None of those pieces would motivate the Indians to trade Lindor and an affordable Clevinger. Two DHs, another 1B DH type in Voit, and pitching does not meet the needs of the Cleveland Indians. The Dodgers, Braves, Padres, and others could easily beat that Yankee offer. Sorry, outside of Torres, who the Yankees would not trade, the Yankees do not have the pieces to get Lindor and especially to get Clevinger.
The Yankees will not trade Judge, Gleyber, Sanchez and Gio Urshela. But others can definitely be had. Jordan Montgomery or Domingo German will be be kept. One or the other can be traded. Tyler Wade or Thairo Estrada will likely be moved. Yanks are not going to trade both. Ford or Voit can be moved