The New York Yankees have made some exciting moves this offseason, but third base remains a concern. Fans are particularly frustrated that DJ LeMahieu is still being considered for the position. The plan for 2025 is for LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza to compete for the starting job at third.
Manager Aaron Boone’s comments on Friday reveal that the Yankees still have hope for LeMahieu heading into the 2025 season. Despite struggling in recent years, they are unwilling to give up on the 36-year-old veteran.
Boone defended LeMahieu’s potential, saying, “I think a lot of people are counting out DJ. It wasn’t long ago when DJ was one of the best hitters in the American League.”
There’s no denying LeMahieu’s past success, but it’s important to recognize that his peak was several years ago. It’s been five years since he was at his best in 2020.
LeMahieu won the NL batting title in 2016 with the Rockies and the AL batting title in 2020 with the Yankees. He was a key contributor to the team in his first two seasons in New York and continued to be solid in 2021, but his performance has steadily declined since then. He still has two years and $30 million left on his contract.
In 2024, LeMahieu struggled with a .204/.269/.259 slash line, 26 RBIs, and just 67 games played. Aside from a brief hot streak in which he drove in six runs against the Phillies on July 31, his season was largely forgettable. Rumors suggest other veterans helped keep him from being designated for assignment in September when Jasson Dominguez was promoted. Instead, LeMahieu was placed on the IL with a hip injury, which many speculated was more of a strategic move than a legitimate injury.
Boone continued to emphasize that LeMahieu’s struggles are largely due to injuries, stating, “With health, we think there’s that great hitter still in there a little bit.”
LeMahieu has faced numerous injury issues over the past few years, notably a toe injury in 2022 and a foot injury in 2024. But at what point do the Yankees have to accept that LeMahieu may simply be past his prime, and the player he was before mid-2022 may never return?
