Veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu has been designated for assignment by the Yankees, per multiple reports. Jorge Castillo of ESPN was among those to relay the news, adding that infielder Jorbit Vivas has been recalled as the corresponding move.
The move comes just a few days ahead of LeMahieu’s 37th birthday, which will be on Sunday. Though he was previously an excellent big league hitter capable of playing multiple positions, his production has nosedived as he has aged, both offensively and defensively.
He started this season on the 10-day injured list due to a calf strain. He came off the IL in mid-May. The Yanks gave him a chance to take over the second base job, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. moved over to third base, but LeMahieu’s offense was subpar. Manager Aaron Boone recently announced that Chisholm would be moving back to second base. LeMahieu had played third base in the past but Boone said this week that wouldn’t be an option as it would be too physically challenging for LeMahieu. General manager Brian Cashman said today that LeMahieu mentioned back in the winter that playing third base would be an issue for him physically, per Greg Joyce of The New York Post.
That left the veteran seemingly limited to a bench role but without the defensive versatility he had previously provided. It seemed the window was closing on him being a useful contributor for the Yankees, so they are moving on.
After many years with the Rockies, the Yankees originally signed LeMahieu ahead of the 2019 season, a two-year deal with a $24MM guarantee. He was brilliant over the course of that contract, hitting a combined .336/.386/.536 over 195 games. That production led to a 146 wRC+, indicating he was 46% better than the league average hitter. He did that while bouncing between first base, second base and third base as needed.
He returned to free agency but the Yanks eventually re-signed him, a six-year pact this time with a $90MM guarantee. In hindsight, that ultimately proved to be a misstep for the Yanks. In 2021, LeMahieu’s production fell to .268/.349/.362, translating to a 101 wRC+. He bounced back slightly in 2022, with a .261/.357/.377 line and 115 wRC+, but he was a league average hitter again in 2023.
Last year, his age and injuries really seemed to catch up with him. He missed significant time due to a right foot contusion and a right hip impingement. He only got into 67 games and hit .204/.269/.259 for a 53 wRC+. This year, as mentioned, he began the year on the IL. His offense came back to some degree, but his .266/.338/.336 line thus far translates to a wRC+ of 95.
It has long seemed like LeMahieu has been cornered. Chisholm is a better defender at second base and appears more comfortable there. Adding a third baseman at the deadline and moving Chisholm to the keystone has long seemed like a plan for the Yankees. They have been connected to players like Ryan McMahon and Isiah Kiner-Falefa in recent weeks. Cashman admitted today that he plans to look for third base upgrades ahead of the deadline, per Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
LeMahieu will be on the open market in the coming days. He is making $15MM annually through the end of next year, meaning there is still about $22MM left to be paid out between now and then. No club will want to claim that off the waiver wire. He has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment and keep those salary commitments in place. The Yankees may skip that formality and simply release him. They will stay on the hook for that money.
At that point, any other club could sign him and would only have to pay him the prorated version of the league minimum salary. That amount would be subtracted from what the Yankees pay. Given LeMahieu’s health, age and recent performance, he may be limited to minor league offers.
For now, the Yanks will cover third with some combination of Vivas, Oswald Peraza and backup catcher J.C. Escarra, Boone said today, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. However, as mentioned, they seem likely to add a player from outside the organization by the July 31st deadline.
Photos courtesy of Bill Streicher and Andy Marlin, Imagn Images
Whoaaa
Now that’s a first place team right there
Oh wait
His bat was good enough even without power but his mobility and inability to throw is why he lost his power. Had Chisolm been able to play third, DJH likely would still be at second. It’s the above and the fact that the Yankees are no longer in first, that he became the scapegoat. That said, his apparent tantrum after learning he was going to the bench was probably the final straw.
*position
Dewey: respectfully this is crazy talk. Everyone’s acting like he’s tearing the cover off the ball suddenly. He was so bad for so long that his empty .260 average and statuesque defense is somehow great. He was a great player, it seems his teammates love him, and still he had to go. I wish him the best if he wants to keep playing but his light stick and severe defensive limitations make him an odd roster fit for a modern team. He’s suitable for pinch hitting and playing 1st/Dh but the bat ijust can’t carry that profile.
You are not a scapegoat when you can no longer getting it done.
dewey: DJH? His name is LeMahieu.
Baseball, when you’re replaced by arguably the worst hitter in the majors, I look at it as being scapegoated. If the Yankees didn’t collapse in the last month, do they make this move now? I don’t believe so and believe they would have ridden this out a couple more weeks.
Blue: typo or brain fart, I can’t remember what I meant to write. Heck, my wife gives me a list of three items to buy and when I get to the store I have to call her for the list…
I’ve come to the conclusion that listening is a waste of time. I’ll be walking out the door when my wife is talking and telling her “just text me”.
Well. That escalated quickly.
Bro Chisholm has a shoulder injury. The longer throw is causing him issues. He’s a plus defender at 2nd and the 2nd or 3rd best bat on the team. Peraza is a pimp with the glove at SS, 3rd, or 2nd. DJ’s slap hitting and terrible defense spelled his doom. He told the team he can’t play 3rd so…
I hadn’t heard about a tantrum. That would make sense as a reason to cut him (at least for a club like the Yankees).
Brad: Not sure if you’re replying to me, but assuming you are… DJ told the Yankees in spring training he didn’t have the arm or body left to play 3rd. Once Chisholm hurt his shoulder and started stacking up errors, it became necessary to move him back to 2nd. That was the end for DJ, cause his only other spot on the diamond is 1st, and Goldy, Bird, and Escarra all hit more and play there.
Brad Johnson: “At least for a club like the Yankees.”
Why for the Yankees and not for other clubs?
This is one party without a DJ
DJ may not be spinning the records but Yankee fans are dancing. Ahahahahahaha!
This is a surprise
A pleasant surprise.
Cashman grows a pair
Cashman gave him that contract to begin with.
Yankee fans demanded that they sign him after a short season career yr.
No. His 4 year deal was stretched to six years so Hal can better swallow the luxury tax penalties. He should have left via a FA last year
Yankee fans wanted him signed to a blank cheque.
Ridiculous for you to think they sign guys because fans want them. How’d that go with Cano or Soto? Did they get a blank check or did other teams outbid the Yankees? They re-signed him because if they didn’t then Tyler Wade would have been the starting 2B
I’m just pointing out once again the fans were wrong and should be completely ignored and told to stfu whenever they voice their opinion
Well you’re a fan voicing their opinion…
So the extra 2 years at $15mm each, along with the penalty tax on it, saved him money? That’s some psychedelic finance!
Yes. 4 years 90 mil costs the Yankees more than 6 years 90 mil; that’s baseball finance when factoring in interest earned on money and luxury tax penalties
Shouldn’t have re-signed him. He was a good player, but a little old. But more importantly, re-signing DJ meant that Torres was going to move to SS, which he absolutely could not play.
Shocking at first but it makes sense.
Woah did not expect a DFA already! I figured the Yankees were going to keep him on the roster as a bench piece. DJ is definitely done, time to give the younger players a shot, or maybe Cashman is working on a trade?
Apparently he didn’t take it too well that he was going to be a bench player.
Ah, okay then that made it easy for the Yankees to DFA him. Thank you for the information!
They signed Candelario to a minor league deal a few days ago. I’m guessing he’s called up soon as long as he doesn’t suck in AAA.
Candelario may just be a serviceable bat and 3B. Maybe a change of scenery and being a switch-hitter in Yankee Stadium reignites his bat.
Candelario was on rehab in the minors when he was called back up and DFA’d by Cincy. He’s only appeared in one game for Triple-A Scranton. Net-net: he’s now a Four-A ballplayer on that 8-figure free agent contract he signed with the Reds.
No guarantee of that.
Being a switch-hitter in Great American Ballpark sure didn’t seem to help his bat.
OMG prayers have been answered
WOW 😳
Truly shocked Hal approved the dead money.
It’s been dead money with him on the roster so maybe he realized there’s no difference
How does it help the team to keep a guy, just because he is earning money. If he is not producing, you are paying him either way. If a team has tried time and again to recapture a veterans skills unsuccessfully it makes more sence to move on. Holding on only handicaps team, while spending same money!
No, they have to pay the player that replaces him also. Maybe it’s a minimum salary from the minors. Maybe it’s a higher salary acquired in trade, plus the tax.
And if it’s McMahon, the $11.7M is taxed at 110%.
He was injured for the past couple years so once healthy they gave him a legitimate chance to show if he has anything left over the past two months. Age remains undefeated.
I appreciate DJ’s attitude and representation of the pinstripes. I also appreciate how good he was. I opined at the time (and several times since his re-signing) that it was a mistake. The money needed to be put elsewhere.
I feel for DJ to go out like this, but he should’ve known it was coming. He’s deplorable in every single area of play. He’s essentially a zero tool player now. A shame how often it ends like this, but it happens in every sport.
I know for certain I would stay too long if I made it to the Big Leagues and had the successes he’s had. It’s tough to recognize you just don’t have it anymore.
The money isn’t going anywhere. No team will touch that contract. It does open up a spot on the 40 man though, which is probably what you meant
Would have happened months ago if that poor kid hadnt got injured at home plate
Looks like they decided to keep Peraza over DJL. Peraza is out of options
Peraza plays good defense. DJ doesn’t and can’t play third at all. Peraza also backs up short.
Peraza is a good defensive player who hasn’t hit at the MLB, but can play multiple positions well and is cheap. Loved DJL, but physically is even his defense is sub par. Throw in a lack of offense and he should be your choice. THis is not a short slump, he has not been the player he was since late 22. We all have to hang them up sometime. I hung mine up after little league and many said that was too late.
If Peraza could hit he’d be a legitimate five-tool player. His ABs are painful to watch though. He’s still more serviceable than DJL
For sure. Well maybe a 4 tool clip , if he could hit. Don’t want to give him both contact and the power.
WHOA. Did not see that coming.
Funny how this and Hicks were Cashman’s own fault for over extending guys to keep their AAV’s lower and shockingly they didn’t last those extra years on those deals.
Should’ve been 3 years/$90M lol.
I’ve always thought adding the extra years to lower AAV for tax purposes was a bad idea
Why, unless you plan on resetting the tax later? Teams always project and the math would have indicated a higher tax in the past years with the team still over certain thresholds today.
Gotta bring up candalario…
Hasn’t hit ball in SWB yet. I mean that literally!
Rangers need contact hitter.
He’s not a contact hitter anymore though….
Figured we’d see a retirement announcement to save face, and money
wileycoyote56, I don’t understand. It’s LeMahieu’s decision to retire or not. Retirement might save face for him, but it would only cost him money. The Yanks would be the only one to benefit. I don’t see him retiring and giving up the $22M+ or so left on his deal.
He wasnt going to quit. THey drop him and he collects the 22m. Dont cry for money. It doesnt cry for you.
Why would he want to save yanks money. He s also a die hard player, you will have to tear uniform off him!
Let’s EFFIN goooo! For once the fanbase and the FO are unified. 1 year too late but we’ll take it nonetheless. Addition by subtraction baby too bad we can’t do that for Stanton.
Unfair Stanton will perform at times
Still better than Albies.
My guess is he accepts assignment and goes down to work on things. He was hitting .268/.338. No power but that’s a lot better than most guys on the market and his defense was OK. personally I’d like them to go for Ke’bryan Hayes. A gold glove super athletic guy that showed flashes of a bat two years ago. he’s not too expensive in terms of annual salary although he’s owed a total of about $36 mil. Maybe they can rehab his bat but he’s likely the best glove on the market. With Hayes, Volpe and Jaxx they would really have the best infield defense
He’ll probably accept the assignment just for not walking away from the money he’s owed.
He can refuse the assignment and still collect the money. Sign with someone else for the minimum and the Yankees pay the rest.
He gets the money even if he doesn’t accept the assignment.
What are you talking about. They DFA him, he’s getting his money no matter what.
Plus he ain’t gonna accept any assignment. Once he clears waivers, he’ll sign with another team for Pennie’s.
All of you are all wrong. A DFA means nothing. He doesn’t have 10/5 rights. He’s only guaranteed that money if he’s released. The Yanks aren’t releasing him if they assign him to AAA. If a veteran player, without 10/5 rights, refuses a minor league assignment and becomes a free agent, he loses any guaranteed money left on his contract.
Wrong, Jean. 10/5 gives him no trade rights. You only need 5 years to guarantee your contract after a DFA which DJL certainly has. He gets to keep 100% of his salary whether he accepts an assignment to AAA or not. Any team that picks him up after that would only need to pay him the league minimum while the Yankees are on the hook for the remainder of his salary through 2026. It even states this in the article.
My mistake, he does have 10/5 rights.
He will get the money. There are no takers for him.
I believe he’s played 15 years and the last 7 years were with the Yankees?
The 10/5 rights means nothing. He’s not being traded (at least not without his consent). He keeps every single dollar of his contract whether he goes to AAA, another MLB team or sits on his couch the next two years.
He doesn’t need to have 10/5 rights to refuse an assignment.
Happy birthday! You’re fired.
He’s still getting paid, wish I had a birthday like that lol
Amen to that.
You can send me home for $22MM, and I’ll gladly accept it.
DJ DFA headlining Coachella next year.
If i remember right they were basically going to give him 4/90 so it was just stretched out to 6/90 so they could get under the tax threshold.
Yep, he v extended the deal to benefit the team.
Next up Stanton. He can’t run, he can’t play the field and he’s clogging up a DH spot and more importantly a roster spot. Ben Rice is losing playing time because of Stanton who I know had a great post season and hit a big HR last night but with all of his nagging injuries the Yankees would be much better ridding themselves and opening up another roster spot to become more athletic and versatile. They should look into moving Grisham and Escarra to the Padres who need a catcher and OF and then bring up both Spencer Jones and Everson Pereira. Ben Rice can back up at catcher and first and DH as well. Defense, athleticism, versatility. This is what the Yanks need to do.
Stanton is like fine blown glass. I dare the Yankees to drop him. Yankee fans demanded they get Stanton. He is signed to 2027 AT age 38 you can drop him and pay another 10MM. Stanton is owed total 64mm. When Stanton trots to the bathroom he can pull something. Those big dudes dont age well. Remember that.
How does Rice, a not-good catcher and worse 1B than Goldschmidt make the team more athletic and more versatile? Stanton isn’t the problem. When he’s healthy he’s one of the better bats on the team. The problem is the black holes at 3B and SS along with mediocre play from almost everyone else but Judge.
The thing is, the Yankees measure their seasons by the playoffs. As great as Judge is, he often runs out of steam each postseason, as evidenced by his over 250 point drop in OPS between regular season and postseason.
Stanton, on the other hand, kicks it up a notch. His postseason OPS goes up 100 points in October. If they want to make noise in the fall, Stanton’s got the biggest noisemaker.
You gotta live with his regular season, intersperse his playing time with younger guys and keep him as healthy as possible for the fall, where he earns his money.
Somehow he ends up in Houston to DH and turns into a .300 hitter again. We all know this is happening because it always happens.
*IF* Astros brain-trust determine he’s got something left in the tank, and *if* Yankees release him, we happen to have a slot open just perfect for him
This should have happened a couple of years ago.
Dang! Not surprised it came to this, but somewhat shocked it happened so soon…and right before the All-Star break. (not to mention his birthday)
If there’s no takers in the trade market, why not give him the rest of the week with the team? It’s only 5 more games…was it so mission critical that Vivas gets called up now?! And what about Candelario who they just signed??
The DFA means DJLM is off the 40-man and 26-man rosters immediately. He’ll go unclaimed on waivers, get his unconditional release, then sign with another team for the major league minimum.
They still owe him 30 million + I believe thru 2027
I don’t think that’s correct. He’s a FA after next season. So he’s owed $15M for next season, and the prorated amount of $15M for this season, something just over $6.574M.
“Excellent hitter” may be damning with faint praise as he won batting titles in both leagues.
WAS an excellant hitter…no longer IS
The past 5 yrs he hit, .268, .261,.243,.204, .266. Doent blow me away. Must be his fan club here. .265/10/60 must be the new normal.
Now option Volpe to the minors and fire Boone.
If only….!
His entire career took a negative turn when the Yanks decided that truly terrible career .200 hitter Odor was better for them at second and they bumped LeMahieu in favour of him. Ever since they took his spot away, LeMahieu has never been the same.
When this desired free agent came off nice years, other teams offered less years (3 or 4) and more salary *per year*. The Yankees had to offer more years at $15M to get him. Today is the result predicted by many when you sign a veteran for too long, but less per year to help your team salary cap / limits.
LeMahieu has not been a disaster this season. o.7 WAR in only 43 games is below league average but better than, say, Jorge Polanco, Ozzie Albees or Miguel Rojas. Jackson Holliday is at 1.3 WAR in twice as many games. But DJ is not the player he once was, far from it. He’s 36, so this was to be expected (by all but Cashman apparently). The Yankees did get a 3.6 WAR season from him (2022), but he’s posted 2.0 WAR combined in the other four years of his six year $90 million contract. Not a good deal. Nobody’s going to trade for him, with him being owed over $20 million for the next year and a half, unless the Yankees pay almost all of that. But at the major league minimum he wouldn’t be a bad pickup for the Mariners or even going back to the Rockies.
Biggest problem is the defense. They have too many second baseman, no third baseman, and playing DJ anywhere negatively affects the Yankees defense. He can’t run, can’t hit, and has no power. There’s no role for him on the team, and their recent slide forced them to make better moves to improve.
WAR is a total joke and I can give you 25 examples of why.
He has zero power, his range at 2B is like 2 inches in each direction and runs like he’s wearing cement shoes. He’s toast.
The Reds can take him over Espinal, give him Candelario’s number.
Oh dog poop !!
He was 7 for his last 15
Denver should sign him after he’s released so they only have to pay minimum wage
You mean the rockies or the broncos? Considering you put denver or is it the nuggets?
Any other ballclub, even the one in Queens, can sign DJLM and it’d only cost them the major league minimum. The Yankees would be on the hook for the remainder.
Get him, Hoyer. Now. Anything’s better than Berti and Brujan.
And Chisholm is an all star. (Allegedly)
Yanks need to dump Stanton next and get younger and more athletic.
Disappointing for the Yanks, but not some huge disaster. When you sign players into their late 3os, you expect the last few years to be rough. That’s true even for guys like Trout and Harper. It will be true for Shohei Ohtani at some point.
Wow. Idk who would be wanting to pay his contract so his retirement will be granted
The Rockies were mocked mercilessly for not resigning DJ.
16.6 WAR in Colorado
$18,098,500 Salary paid
$1,090,271/WAR
14.2 WAR with Yankees
$91,500,000 Salary paid (to date)
**Does not include future contract commitment of $22M
$6,443,661/WAR (to date)
To be fair that’s the nature of the MLB salary structure. The players who excel early get paid big money later. You could do the same thing with, say, Corey Seager and the Dodgers versus the Rangers – but that doesn’t mean the Rangers got a bad deal.
Haven’t commented in a bit, but good time to come back.
Man, for awhile DJ was definitely a favorite player and a solid contributor to the team. I’m honestly gutted for him that his body failed him and ultimately it had to lead to this. But honestly there wasn’t much choice here. I’ll miss the good times, and thanks for giving it the best you could.
In the offseason I did push for a Jeimer trade, so I’d like to see them give him a shot to see if the change helps his bat before looking outwards. Ryan McMahon is a solid target, too, and young enough still to make an impact. We’ll see.
Jeimer is literally a Yankee right now
Yes I know, in the minors, but no guarantee he’s going to come up. Depends on how he does.
Candelario is on a minor league contract at Triple-A Scranton. Yankees aren’t going to make roster moves just to bring up someone who’s become a Four-A ballplayer.
Can someone trade for him? It would save the Yankees a bunch of money. They are Luxury tax payers. Say, the Rockies have the Yankees include a top prospect and the return is a relief pitcher.
Rockies could reunite with DJ and put him at DH. Also add a couple pitching prospects… Brock Selvidge and Bryce Cunningham? Rockies always need pitching.
Rockies send the Yankees Jake Bird.
Maybe someone can add a prospect or money… The Rockies need to do something. Good God.
No ballclub is going to trade for DJLM without the Yankees kicking in a sizable sum of money to help cover his contract. Plus he’s a 10/5 player so can veto a trade.
The Yankees print money. Why give away a top prospect to eat 22 mil? This isn’t a 250 mil contract we’re talking about.
If someone wants a mid level type of prospect to eat SOME of it….cool. Doubt it.
Why would any team trade for him?
“Why would any team trade for him?” Have you seen the Rockies? They would essentially be buying 2 prospects by trading for DJ. DJ is better than most of the players currently on the Rockies roster. His 91OPS+ would be tied for 5th on the entire team. His .7 WAR would be 3rd on the position player side.
I like how one poster commented it was a lot of money… the next poster said it’s nothing for the Yankees to throw away $22 Mil. It’s actually much more when you count in luxury tax. It’s $32 mil just for next year and probably close to $16 mil this year, so $48 mil with the 110% Lux Tax.
Yankee prospects are not worth eating that salary when the Rockies could get him for mlb minimum. And I don’t think the Yankees will give up any prospects when they don’t care about the luxury tax. This isn’t an Anthony Rendon contract.
Hi range at 2B was about 2 inches in each direction, he has no power whatsoever and runs with snow shoes on. It was time!
If he didn’t fall off the K Brant cliff I’d say he’d go get him for 3B until you can potentially get Suarez. A reunion with the Cubs would be cool but it’s a hard pass now. Maybe 5 years ago
DJ contract almost as bad as that Chris Taylor contract….ugh.
Still can’t believe the cubs gave up on dj after barely 1/2 rookie season with 5+ years of control. Gave up On Lou Brock too
Happy birthday!!!
Now beat it!
Cashman can sure spend money
Somebody will surely pick him up at the league minimum to be a pinch hitter down the stretch, at the very least.
It’s amazing how over the top NY fans and media have to go in order for them to do the OBVIOUS.
SOMEONE should make a deal!
What kind of prospects will $22M in Yankee luxury tax money buy?
Lombard? Hess? Cunningham?
Make a deal, DFA LeMahieu yourself!
Go Tigers!
Cashman must have immediate plans for the roster spot….
Make a deal!
Peraza can’t hit his weight. Why is he even in the majors?
What’s the fascination with IKF?
I expect the Yankees to work out a trade for him. Someone is going to take him on if New York is paying most of the salary. He is hitting .261 which is higher than a lot of the players out there.
Ignorant of the fact that no other ballclub is going to take on all of that humongous free agent contract?
More likely DJLM goes unclaimed, he’s given his unconditional release, then signs with a team that needs his bat and only has to pay the major league minimum.
I see a bunch of people saying to bring up Candelario. Careful what you wish for. The Reds basically told him to keep the 20 million or whatever it was they owed him to go away. This is a team that is always letting finances keep them from improving their club and they released him despite what they still owed him. What seriously makes those of you think he is magically going to remember how to hit the ball in Yankee Stadium when he hasn’t done it the last two years in hitter friendly GABP?
Move Rice to third to get his bat in lineup full time or trade for Gio.