Where Can DJ LeMahieu End Up?
With Gleyber Torres at second base, Didi Gregorius coming back from elbow surgery to play shortstop and Miguel Andújar at third, what need did New York have for LeMahieu?
LeMahieu was coming off of an average season in Colorado, and while he had won the 2016 National League batting title with a .348 average, that number dropped to .310 and .276 over the next two seasons.
LeMahieu became the ultimate Swiss Army knife for manager Aaron Boone, who started him at first, second and third in 2019. He slashed .327/.375/.518 with 26 homers and 102 RBIs, finishing fourth in American League MVP Award voting. This season, LeMahieu appeared in 50 of the Yankees’ 60 games, leading the league with a .364 average, a .421 on-base percentage, a 1.011 OPS and a 177 OPS , putting him in position for another Top 5 MVP finish.
The perception is that once Steve Cohen is approved as the new owner, the Mets will jump into the free-agent frenzy with both feet. The fit isn’t clear for LeMahieu, but if the designated hitter returns to the National League next season, that could open second base for the Mets, who currently have Robinson Canó under contract for three more years.