In a move that always felt inevitable, the Yankees and DJ LeMahieu have agreed on a new contract worth $90 million over six years.

The two sides had been locked in a stalemate in which LeMahieu was seeking $100 million and the Yankees only wanted to go as high as $80 million, so meeting in the middle makes sense. The sixth year is ultimately just a way for the Yankees to make LeMahieu&#8217;s luxury tax cap hit $15 million rather than $20 million annually, because it&#8217;s based on the average salary of the deal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
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.
&mdash; Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) <a href="https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1350097927524536322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Though the Blue Jays had been linked to LeMahieu pretty much all off-season, it never really felt like he was a serious target. It seemed more like the Blue Jays (and a couple of other teams, like the Mets) were being used as bargaining chips for LeMahieu to get more cash from his ideal destination, which was remaining a Yankee.
The concern with handing LeMahieu a huge contract — and it likely would have cost the Blue Jays north of $100 million to get him out of New York — is that his great offensive numbers are largely a product of Yankee Stadium. In 2020, he posted an insane 1.265 OPS at home but produced a mediocre .759 OPS on the road. The splits in 2019 weren’t quite as exaggerated, a .977 OPS at home and a .818 OPS on the road, but, again, it indicates that LeMahieu’s bat might not be what it seems.
Apparently the Blue Jays made LeMahieu an offer, but it was quite a bit lower that what the Yankees ended up paying him&#8230;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Source: Dodgers offered LeMahieu 4/60. Blue jays offered him 4/78 Braves were interested. Mets were too. 
Also being told he was very close to going to Toronto
&mdash; Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) <a href="https://twitter.com/ragazzoreport/status/1350100203223851013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

In a move that always felt inevitable, the Yankees and DJ LeMahieu have agreed on a new contract worth $90 million over six years.



The two sides had been locked in a stalemate in which LeMahieu was seeking $100 million and the Yankees only wanted to go as high as $80 million, so meeting in the middle makes sense. The sixth year is ultimately just a way for the Yankees to make LeMahieu's luxury tax cap hit $15 million rather than $20 million annually, because it's based on the average salary of the deal.

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1350097927524536322

Though the Blue Jays had been linked to LeMahieu pretty much all off-season, it never really felt like he was a serious target. It seemed more like the Blue Jays (and a couple of other teams, like the Mets) were being used as bargaining chips for LeMahieu to get more cash from his ideal destination, which was remaining a Yankee.

The concern with handing LeMahieu a huge contract — and it likely would have cost the Blue Jays north of $100 million to get him out of New York — is that his great offensive numbers are largely a product of Yankee Stadium. In 2020, he posted an insane 1.265 OPS at home but produced a mediocre .759 OPS on the road. The splits in 2019 weren’t quite as exaggerated, a .977 OPS at home and a .818 OPS on the road, but, again, it indicates that LeMahieu’s bat might not be what it seems.

Apparently the Blue Jays made LeMahieu an offer, but it was quite a bit lower that what the Yankees ended up paying him...

https://twitter.com/ragazzoreport/status/1350100203223851013

DJ LeMahieu has re-signed with the Yankees

Breaking down the trade that made Juan Soto a New York Yankee

Former Blue Jay Adam Cimber signs one-year deal with L.A. Angels

A third baseman free agent is off the board for the Blue Jays, as the Reds have signed Jeimer Candelario

Blue Jays Notebook: Scott Boras speaks, John Schneider explains José Berríos’ early hook and Alek Manoah’s role, Jordan Hicks expected to sign elsewhere

Recent articles from Cam Lewis

Breaking News