Longtime Colorado Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu has signed a two year, $24 million contract with the New York Yankees.
Originally a member of the Chicago Cubs, LeMahieu had been with the Rockies since 2012 where he earned three Gold Gloves, two NL All-Star Team selections and won the 2016 NL batting title with a .348 average. Although he hit a career high 15 HR in 2018, his average fell to .276. LeMahieu, 30, also had stints on the DL for a right hamstring strain, a left thumb strain and an oblique injury which caused him to miss more than 30 games last season. Can LeMahieu stay healthy in the hot New York spotlight?
With the signing of LeMahieu and acquisition of his former Rockies teammate Troy Tulowitzki from the Blue Jays, some believe the team is no longer pursuing Manny Machado. On the other hand, LeMahieu can play all four infield positions. The Yankees could trade Miguel Andujar, freeing up third base for LeMahieu and sign Machado to play at short and render the injury prone Tulowitzki a bench player.
Overall, I think acquiring LeMahieu is a plus. Even if he never approaches .350, he can still provide Gold Glove caliber defense at any infield position. Depending on what happens with Andujar, LeMahieu may loom large in their plans at third base in 2019.
No comments:
Post a Comment