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2 days ago
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If the New York Yankees want any advice on resetting two-time batting champion DJ LeMahieu’s career, longtime ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian is on line three.
By his own admission, Kurkjian doesn’t have much faith left in LeMahieu, who rejoined the Yankees this week after a lengthy injured list stint. After multiple years bouncing around the Yankees’ infield, LeMahieu should see most of his action at second base moving forward—at least, until All-Star slugger Jazz Chisholm returns from his right oblique strain.
Oswaldo Cabrera’s severe ankle injury also allows LeMahieu to become the full-time third baseman again, a role he last held in 2023. Speaking candidly on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” podcast, Kurkjian said the Yankees should put LeMahieu at the hot corner and “hope it works.”
“He has not been the same player for several years now,” Kurkjian said, “and I’m not sure what it is, but I would try to … see if playing him in the same position will help.”
New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu
John Jones-Imagn Images
The key, Kurkjian explained, is no longer using LeMahieu as a utility player. LeMahiu has regularly split his time between first, second, and third base over his seven Yankees seasons after almost exclusively playing second base for the Colorado Rockies.
LeMahieu played 38 games at first and 36 at third base last year, providing a career-worst .204 average and -1.6 bWAR along the way.
“Now, do I think it’s going to return him to his former glory?” Kurkjian asked. “No, I don’t, but I think it’s worth a try.”
New York Yankees star DJ LeMahieu plays second base in 2021
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
That’s likely not the most reassuring opinion for Yankees fans, especially ahead of a highly-anticipated Subway Series showdown with the rival New York Mets. At least Kurkjian admits that the LeMahieu who hit .336 with 8.6 bWAR and a .922 OPS from 2019-20 is long gone.
The Yankees keeping LeMaheiu at third base isn’t impossible. Backup infielders Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas offer needed versatility, with Peraza already seeing action at every infield position but first through 23 games.
LeMahieu, who is in the penultimate year of a six-year, $90 million contract, went 1-for-5 in two games against the Seattle Mariners this week.
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