Utility infielder DJ LeMahieu has reportedly agreed to a free-agent deal with the New York Yankees. The contract is worth $90 million over six years. The 2020 Sliver Slugger Award winner is viewed as one of the top free agents this offseason. LeMahieu’s .364 BA, .421 OBP, and 1.011 OPS led the league this past season. He also finished third in the 2020 AL MVP voting.
Second baseman DJ LeMahieu and the New York Yankees are finalizing a six-year, $90M contract, sources familiar with the agreement tell ESPN.
LeMahieu’s return to New York always felt inevitable. It took a while. But he wanted to be there and Yankees get top free agent target.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 15, 2021
After declining the $18.9 million qualifying offer from the Yankees, LeMahieu hit the open market and took advantage of his past success. He became a free agent for the second time in his career this offseason. He signed a two-year, $24 million deal with the Yankees before the 2019 season. As a result, LeMahieu became arguably one of the biggest steals in free-agent history, getting his third All-Star nod, winning the Silver Slugger Award, and finishing fourth in the AL MVP voting.
How He Fits
LeMahieu is a three-time Gold Glove winner. Not only that, but he is capable of Gold Glove production at three different positions. Throughout his career, LeMahieu has been steady at first, second, and third base. He is also the only player in the modern era to win a batting title in both the American and National Leagues.
LeMahieu has proven to be a solid, clutch player all over the field and in the lineup. Speaking of hitting in the clutch…
Clutch Hitting
Not only is LeMahieu an excellent hitter, he does it in the clutch as well. In 2020, LeMahieu hit .364 with runners in scoring position. With two outs and runners in scoring position, that number goes up to .421. In 2019, LeMahieu led all of baseball in BA with runners in scoring position, hitting .392.
Based on those numbers, LeMahieu shows that he is actually more productive the more clutch the situation.
Outlook
Simply put, LeMahieu is an excellent player at the plate and in the field. There’s no reason to think that, despite being 32, he won’t continue to be a productive player. As a result of this deal, he will be a premier player for the Yankees for years to come.
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