DJ Lemahieu

New York Yankees: High Expectations For DJ LeMahieu In 2020

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New York Yankees, DJ LeMahieu

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu surprised everybody with his fantastic 2019 season after originally being signed as a utility man. He worked his way into the lineup with team-wide injuries, and ended up finishing fourth in the MVP race. There are high expectations for him in 2020, and we’ll see if he lives up to them.

After playing seven years with the Colorado Rockies, the Yankees signed LeMahieu to a two-year deal worth $24 million. He had some solid years in Colorado and won the batting title in 2016, hitting .348.

LeMahieu didn’t have his best year in 2018 with Colorado, and that’s part of the reason why he left. He hit .276 and battled some injuries. So, there weren’t any expectations to live up to in New York.

But, he came out of the gate raking in 2019 and never let up. He hit .327 and drove in over 100 runs from the leadoff spot. He also hit 26 home runs, 11 more than his previous season high.

LeMahieu also made his third all-star team and won his first silver slugger award.

In 2020, he now has expectations to live up to. Unfortunately, he probably won’t be quite as good as he was in 2019, because it was in a sense sort of a fluke season. But, I think that he will be really solid again and bat around .290.

Fans also want the Yankees to extend his contract, but I think that they shouldn’t do so quite yet. They should wait to see what he’s doing during the 2020 season, because if they extend him now and he’s really terrible in 2020, the team may regret the deal. Once the season plays out a bit, you make a decision on whether to do something now or wait to the end of the season.

DJ LeMahieu has high expectations to live up to 2020, and hopefully he will live up to them.

Is Tyler Wade the outfield answer for the Yankees in 2020?

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New York Yankees, Tyler Wade

With the expectation being Clint Frazier could be traded during the 2020 offseason, the Yankees will have to find value elsewhere in the outfield to supplement injuries. Center fielder Aaron Hicks is already scheduled to miss time after having Tommy John surgery, which will put the unit at a disadvantage entering the season.

The Yankees, however, have several options to choose from, including re-signing Brett Gardner to play his usual utility role in the outfield. Alternatively, they have Mike Tauchman, who emerged as a reliable player, hitting .277 with 13 homers over 280 at-bats.

The third option is Tyler Wade, who didn’t spend a ton of time at the Major League level last season, but did show defensive versatility, base running prowess, and was consistently average at the plate. Combine those three successes, and you have a player ready to take a small step in the coming season.

Wade won’t be a starting player for the Yankees, but he can undoubtedly be a consistent reserve option, similar to the role Cameron Maybin and Tauchman played in 2019.

2019 Statistics: 43 games, 108 plate appearances, .245/.330/.362, 2 home runs, 16 runs, 7/7 stolen bases, 88 wRC+, 0.3 WAR

One of the more attractive attributes Wade possesses is his grit. After being left behind in Scranton for Tauchman, Wade was “very pissed” about the decision. He joined the Yankees five games into the season, but he was sent back to Scranton after 18 games at the top-level. He appeared once at five different positions during that span — shortstop, third base, left field, right field, and second base.

The value Wade holds is enormous, considering his ability to play in the outfield and infield. He can be the ultimate utility option behind DJ LeMahieu, who’s best suited at second and first base.

One optimistic fact to consider was that Wade was included in the ALDS roster, despite not playing a single second. Manager Aaron Boone values him in case of injuries. If he can continue to build upon his past production, he could find himself as a prioritized utility player when the injury bug inevitably hits.

Why the Yankees could trade for Francisco Lindor and move DJ LeMahieu to first base

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New York yankees, Francisco Lindor

The realistic infield for the 2020 New York Yankees includes first baseman Luke Voit in the mix, but general manager Brian Cashman could look to shake things up if he doesn’t see Gleyber Torres as a long-term solution at shortstop yet.

The third base spot is all but locked up with Gio Urshela, who exploded onto the scene last season, hitting .314, setting a career-high after recording a best of .233 the year before. Not only was the third baseman effective on offense, but his defense made him a staple in the infield and allowed the Yankees to allocate resources elsewhere.

With injuries plaguing the starting team, utility-man, DJ LeMahieu, was shifted around the infield to supplement the team’s losses. He played every position at one point, but he excelled at first base despite second-base being his most influential position.

A scenario where the Yankees keep LeMahieu at first base:

Gleyber Torres is expected to be the future at shortstop with Didi Gregorius departing, but the reality is, he struggled defensively at the position in 2019. Over 77 games, he logged a .961 fielding percentage with 11 errors. Those aren’t convincing numbers that Torres can handle a full-season workload at the position, which could force Cashman to go out and sign a free agent other than Didi.

This is where Francisco Lindor enters the picture. This is a major hypothetical, considering the Yankees would have to part with real premium youth talent to pry him away from the Cleveland Indians. This deal wouldn’t be similar to the Giancarlo Stanton trade, where the Miami Marlins were practically begging teams to take his massive contract without having to give up any prospects.

Lindor would be costly, but his production has been stellar, as he hit .284 with 32 homers and 72 RBIs last season. He fits the Yankees mold perfectly, but without the elevated strikeout rate. Having a slugger shortstop would give the Bombers the ability to keep Torres at his stronger second-base position and slot LeMahieu in at first base, where he was valid throughout the postseason.

However, it also boils down the efficiency at first base between LeMahieu and Luke Voit. The utility man gradually improved as the season progressed, which gives the Yankees a bit more flexibility. He finished the year with a .992 fielding percentage and two errors over 40 games. Voit, on the other hand, played in double the contests with a .989 fielding percentage and seven errors. You could make the argument that LeMahieu is by far the better first baseman and should stay at the position, which opens up the door for a Lindor trade.

A 10 Part Breakdown of the Yankees Depth. Part 3: First Base

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The New York Yankees have had a hard time finding a steady, everyday first baseman since Mark Teixeira. Allow me to rephrase that. The Yankees have had a hard time finding a steady, everyday first baseman since year 4 of Tex’s Yankees contract.

We’ve had some flash in the pan first basemen come and go since the 2012 season. But now we need to buckle down. First is one of those power positions where you’re meant to have an offensive force. And that’s why the Yankees front office is scrambling right now. But we also shouldn’t settle for a power-hitting first baseman who can’t field his position. It’s the third most thrown to a position in the infield behind pitcher and catcher.

Just How Bad Have the Yankees First Basemen Been?

Here’s a list of some previous Yankees we’ve depended on at first since the 2012 season:

Mark Teixeira, Chris Carter, Ji-man Choi, Larry Walker, Kelly Johnson, Chase Headly, Tyler Austin, Mark Reynolds, Neil Walker, Greg Bird, Mike Ford, DJ LeMahieu, and Luke Voit. That’s 13 men at one position in the span of 7 years. And at this rate, DJ, Luke Voit, and Mike Ford are going to be the only 3 on the active roster for 2020.

So How Bad Is It for 2020?

Officially, not as bad as I’m painting the picture as.

We got Voit, Ford, and DJ as our official first basemen for 2020. This is a good core of potential first basemen.

Let’s Talk About Defense

You need a rock-solid defensive first baseman. Period. That’s the busiest position in baseball short of the pitchers’ mound and catcher. The obvious nod right now, for many, is probably going to DJ LeMahieu. He was our starting first baseman for the playoffs, after all.

But did you see that error he committed in the ALDS against the Twins?

Look, he’s won a Gold Glove at 2nd. He’s won multiple Gold Gloves at 2nd. But he’s decidedly a second baseman by trade, with the next most reps he has is at third (watch out Miggy and Gio). He simply doesn’t have that impressive of a body of work at first base. The most games he played at 1st prior to last year was 4. You read that right. 4 career games at 1st base prior to the 2019 campaign.

To put it into perspective, Luke Voit has the EXACT SAME fielding percentage DJ LeMahiue has for his career at second base. There is something to be said about having someone play a position regularly. By this logic, Voit and Mike Ford are the CLEAR and present front runners for 1st base in 2020. And the edge needs to go to Voit, as Voit has better career defensive statistics than Mike Ford (at no fault to Ford. One can expect that of a career minor leaguer).

But What About Offense?

It depends entirely upon what you’re looking for at the position. DJ is a pure contact hitter. He has a career .302 batting average, averaging 150 hits per season since 2014. Last year was the best offensive statistical year he had (hitting over 20 home runs and driving in over 100 runs for the first time in his career). Meanwhile, in an injury-shortened season, Luke Voit hit .263, with 21 home runs, 62 rbi’s, 21 doubles, scored 72 times on 113 hits. Not bad for someone who hasn’t played a full season in the bigs yet.

Mike Ford, in 143 at-bats, hit 12 home runs, with a .259/.350/.559 slash line. He’s in a position to be the optimum prototypical first baseman offensively for 2020, a .260-.280 batting average, with 20+ home runs, and closer to 100 RBI’s. But… the same can be said for Luke Voit.

So who should get the nod?

Luke Voit has to be our starting first baseman for the 2020 campaign. He’s got more experience at the position and is built like a brick wall. In my brief time playing first in little league baseball, that’s your job as a first baseman, keep everything in front of you. And having a brick wall/NFL linebacker at first base makes it easier for you to keep all the throws in the infield. Mike Ford needs to be the backup first baseman. By the end of 2020 or 2021, Ford will be in a better position to take over more regularly at first base should the Yankees part ways with Voit. And that’s a good thing. The DJ LeMahieu experiment at first base was worthwhile but ultimately futile. His services are better suited to other positions on the team. And it’s clear that the Yankees want to move DJ over to second on a more permanent basis. Which is a mistake?

But more on that next time.

New York Yankees: The Didi Gregrorius era is coming to an end

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius

The New York Yankees might be considered cheap for not offering shortstop Didi Gregorius another contract after rejecting his qualifying offer. Still, the reality is, they view a different player as the long-term option at the position.

Gregorius was more of a stop-gap until Gleyber Torres was established enough to succeed him and carry out the daily duties at the shortstop position. After playing a substantial portion of the 2019 season at the spot (77 games, .961 fielding percentage, 11 errors, 40 double plays), Torres seems to be ready to make the switch, especially with DJ LeMahieu’s strength being second base.

The era of Gregorius is coming to an end at the expense of Torres, and what a ride it has been. The post-game tweets that fans fell in love with, the Grand Slams during the postseason and late-game heroics all embody Didi’s time in the Bronx, but it’s time to move on with the future settling in.

Reports have indicated that the Philadelphia Phillies are intrigued by Gregorius’ services, potentially utilizing him as a replacement for Juan Segura, who has three years and $43.75 million remaining on a five-year, $70 million deal he signed with the Mariners in 2017.

The Phillies would be a suitable place for Didi to land, but seeing him in anything but Pinstripes will be tough to watch.

Are the New York Yankees cheap?

One could make the argument that the Yankees are cheap, and allocating funds towards retaining the infielder should be the priority. However, allocating anything more than $10 million, which is less than his price-tag indicates, would heavily restrain general manager Brian Cashman from pursuing a premium starting pitcher like Gerrit Cole or Stephen Strasburg.

This offseason is about building around positions of weakness, and the shortstop position can be filled with an above-average hitter with developing defensive qualities. Gregorius is undoubtedly the better defensive option, but his latest injury held him back during the 2019 campaign. His .238 batting average was abnormally low, but he did manage to smash 16 homers. The Bombers have adapted to a home-run centric mentality in recent years, which relies more on long-ball totals than batting average and essentially disregards strikeouts.

Torres is equally a power-hitter to Didi, so the team wouldn’t be losing any value in that category.

The Yankees must keep Miguel Andujar for one significant reason

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New York Yankees, Miguel Andujar

With speculation that the Yankees will look to deal third baseman Miguel Andujar this offseason, it’s justifiable to analyze his value. Andujar is coming off a season on the injured list after a torn labrum, a serious injury that will require plenty of recovery time.

“I’m definitely getting a lot of interest in Miguel Andujar while I’m sitting down here,” Cashman told ESPN Radio on Wednesday while in Scottsdale, Ariz., for the MLB GM Meetings. “I’ve got clubs asking me, ‘What are you going to do with him? We’d have an interest in him. Mark us down.’”

The youth product’s value undoubtedly took a hit from his spell on the injured list, and that’s the primary reason general manager Brian Cashman shouldn’t consider trading him away. Allowing him to return and show he can replicate his rookie season is the ideal scenario for the Yankees.

Best case scenario, Andujar develops into the team’s everyday third baseman, and worst case, he can be used as trade bait next offseason with a full-campaign of productivity and statistics under his belt. This will give Cashman more value to work with and allow him to pursue other top players.

The Yankees can expand on Andujar’s value:

From an objectional standpoint, Andujar’s cost isn’t only low because of his injury, but Gio Urshela also factors in. Urshela resembles a regular starter on the hot-corner for the Bombers, and that lowers Miguel’s value as well. Teams know the Yankees don’t necessarily need Andujar and will utilize that reality to drive down his price.

With Andujar’s defensive struggles playing a part, Cashman mentioned the idea of moving him around in the infield to test different scenarios. This could be a good idea, but the Yankees have answers at nearly every position. Shortstop is filled with Gleyber Torres or a free agent, DJ LeMahieu houses second base, and first base will likely rotate between Luke Voit and Mike Ford.

Third base is the only realistic option for Andujar, and that’s where he should continue to develop. However, Urshela’s defensive prowess places significant value on his head, but that shouldn’t deter Cashman from holding onto Andujar for at least one more season in an attempt to increase his value. If his bat comes to life next year, the trade deadline could be an excellent place to start shopping.

What Should The New York Yankees Do With Greg Bird?

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We have forgotten about the existence of Greg Bird in the New York Yankees organization, and time is ticking to make a decision on his future. The Yankees have until December 2nd to make a final decision, but the first deadline is today.

It is the final day to protect players from the Rule 5 draft by putting them on the 40 man roster. They could DFA him and risk losing him in the Rule 5 draft, or keep him on the 40 man for now.

But, they need to decide by December 2nd weather to tender him or not, meaning decide if they want to keep him or release him to free agency.

So what should the Yankees do with him? In my opinion, they should let him walk.

Bird has yet to put up solid numbers with the Yankees and the team has a lot of depth. His career average is .211 in 611 at-bats, and is only really known for his homerun in game three of the 2017 ALDS, a game that the team won 1-0 and staved off elimination from the Cleveland Indians. As we all know, the Yankees won that series and came a game away from the World Series.

There are also several other guys that can play first base for the Yankees. DJ LeMahieu and Luke Voit are the obvious ones, Miguel Andujar may shift to first base, and Mike Ford has proven lefty power.

Keeping Greg Bird around would just eat up roster space. He would also be in AAA and probably extremely unhappy. Injuries have been a huge issue for him too, but may thrive on a different team or even overseas.

Will the New York Yankees re-sign both Didi Gregorius and Brett Gardner?

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius, Brett Gardner

While free agents like Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg will plaster the headlines during the offseason for the New York Yankees, we cannot devalue options like Didi Gregorius and Brett Gardner.

Both veterans for the Bombers played significant roles in reaching the ALCS against the Houston Astros, and reports have indicated that the team will pursue both in free agency, despite Cashman rejecting the qualifying offer for the shortstop.

General manager Brian Cashman commented on the potential of bringing back Didi:

“I can’t tell you ‘less likely, more likely,’ he said. “I can just tell you Didi was a great player for us. He’s a free agent now, so there’s gonna be competition for his services. We will continue to engage and see if it leads to continuing a relationship or not. But up to this point we’ve been very fortunate and happy to have him as a member of our franchise. Maybe we’ll be able to say that for a couple of years as well — or not — but that remains to be seen. I can’t predict.”

Gregorius is not only a reliable defender and a lefty bat, but he’s a staple in the locker-room. There will be competition to bring back Didi, with the Cincinnati Reds expected to pursue him, but the Yankees undoubtedly have the advantage if they’re willing to part with at least $10 million in cap space.

Batting .238 and hitting 16 homers last season doesn’t scream efficiency, but the Bombers have preferred high homerun totals in place of a lousy batting average. Similar to Didi, Brett Gardner saw his long-ball totals sky-rocket in his 12th season in the MLB. Logging 28 homers over 141 games, Gardner a career-high in the category — timely for a Yankees team struggling with injuries.

Bringing Gardner back should be a priority for Cashman this offseason, considering his likeness and leadership. He’s also a valuable defender and can fill every outfield position if needed. While he did count $7.5 million against the cap last season, if the Yanks can bringing him back on a deal under $4 million, they would be adding a consistent starting-quality player that understands the Yankee way and what their mentality is heading into 2020.

The New York Yankees could move on from Didi Gregorius:

Didi will undoubtedly be asking for more of an investment than the Yankees, and they could quickly move on from him in favor of Gleyber Torres. The 22-year-old is primed to take over at shortstop with DJ LaMehiu’s preferred position being second-base. The switch has to made eventually, and expediting the process makes sense for the Bombers in 2020.

New York Yankees will attempt to bring Didi Gregorius back to the Bronx

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New York Yankees, Didi Gregorius

The primary focus this offseason for the New York Yankees will undoubtedly be the starting pitching rotation, especially when it comes to Gerrit Cole and Stephen Strasburg on the mound. Their services will be pursued by general manager Brian Cashman, despite owner Hal Steinbrenner’s comments concerning the lack of run production during the playoffs.

However, there are several players that Cashman is still intrigued by, some of whom were on the Yankees last season. Shortstop Didi Gregorius is one of those players, an every-day starter in the infield who is a productive hitter as well. Last season, though, he only batted .238 but smacked 16 homers, a mentality the Bombers have prioritized in recent years. Bringing in players that sacrifice batting average for home run totals is the ideology Cashman has adopted, and Gregorius has amended his style to the modern-day Yankee way.

Will the New York Yankees bring Didi Gregorius back?

The Yankees and Gregorius’ agent have been in contact about a potential return, but Cashman mentioned the competition for his services.

“I can’t tell you ‘less likely, more likely,’ he said. “I can just tell you Didi was a great player for us. He’s a free agent now, so there’s gonna be competition for his services. We will continue to engage and see if it leads to continuing a relationship or not. But up to this point we’ve been very fortunate and happy to have him as a member of our franchise. Maybe we’ll be able to say that for a couple of years as well — or not — but that remains to be seen. I can’t predict.”

If Cashman elects to pass on Gregorius in free agency, he will likely look to Gleyber Torres to take over the shortstop position, with DJ LeMahieu returning to second base, his strong suit. Realistically, this is the best option for the Yankees, as they see Torres as the future at shortstop, and providing him the opportunity to refine his abilities early on is essential.

Bringing back Gregorius would not only take up a significant portion of available money, but it would compromise the Yankees’ ability to pursue a premium starting pitcher.

What are the Yankees planning for Gleyber Torres next season?

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New York Yankees, Gleyber Torres

The Yankees infield may go through a bit of a shift next season with Didi Gregorius likely departing in free agency. In the second year of a two-year, $24 million deal, DJ LeMahieu will slot into second-base, his priority position. Having him as an established presence in the infield at his defensive peak will only allow him to perform at a higher level.

The Yankees can finally set a foundation in the infield:

In 2019, LeMahieu moved all around the infield, playing every position before finally settling in at first base to close out the postseason. This allowed Gleyber Torres to play at second, taking him away from the position general manager Brian Cashman has always envision him at.

However, with Didi on his way out, the reality of established Torres at shortstop is finally happening. Luckily, Torres already has ample experience at the position, considerin he supplemented the loss of Gregorius as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.

Cashman stated:

“He showed, clearly, in the absence of Didi last year that we could be a really effective franchise with him at short andDJ LeMahieu at second. It played out well, and that will be part of the evaluation, but is that the best that we should be doing as we move forward? Or is it with Didi at short? Or is it with some other alternative that’s a potential trade or a free agent signing that we haven’t been talking about? Those are the things we have to evaluate and discuss.”

While Didi was out of the lineup, Torres played 75 games at shortstop, and he played phenomenal for the most part, despite his defense struggling at times. Practice makes perfect, meaning experience at the position will allow him to alleviate any severe concerns for the future.

Torres batted .289 with 25 homers and a .954 OPS last year while Gregorius only hit .238. Making the switch and plugging LeMahieu in at second base should improve the team as a whole.