Supervisor Aaron Boone introduced on the winter conferences that veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu will line up because the workforce’s major third baseman subsequent season (link via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch). Boone indicated that an out of doors acquisition at third base wasn’t seemingly, because the workforce felt lined with inner choices. This assertion is a extra forceful declaration of that chance.
LeMahieu, 35, is coming into the fourth season of a six-year, $90M contract. He’s bounced across the diamond since initially arriving in New York within the 2018-19 offseason, spending appreciable time at each infield place apart from shortstop. Third base was his major place in 2023, nonetheless, as he logged practically 600 innings there and turned in a sound defensive effort within the eyes of Defensive Runs Saved (3), Final Zone Score (3.2) and Outs Above Common (3).
The rest of the Yankees infield appears to be like largely set. Anthony Rizzo will return to man first base, whereas Gleyber Torres is coming into his remaining arbitration season and lined up as the first second baseman. Anthony Volpe had an up-and-down rookie season at shortstop, in the end placing collectively a 20-20 season with good protection however an underwhelming .209/.283/.383 batting line on the entire. Prospect Oswald Peraza offers the Yankees some further depth at any place apart from first base, however with no clear path to a beginning position at current, he may open the season in Triple-A and be the primary line of protection within the occasion of an damage elsewhere within the infield. The flexibility supplied by each Peraza and LeMahieu would permit the Yankees to relatively seamlessly cowl an absence wherever within the infield.
The 2023 season wasn’t LeMahieu’s finest on the plate — removed from it — however he nonetheless turned in a roughly common (by measure of wRC+) .243/.327/.390 batting line with 15 dwelling runs, 22 doubles and three triples. The veteran infielder walked at a powerful 10.7% clip, the second-highest mark of his profession, but additionally fanned at a career-worst 22.2%. LeMahieu didn’t broaden the zone any greater than he did in seasons prior — he truly improved his chase price from 2022 to 2023 — however his contact price on each strikes and balls off the plate dipped.
LeMahieu entered the 2023 season with a lifetime 92.7% contact price on swings at pitches within the zone however noticed that quantity drop to 89.8% final 12 months. His contact price on the comparatively uncommon chases off the plate was extra regarding; LeMahieu entered 2023 with a profession 76.1% contact price on balls off the plate (together with an almost 80% mark from 2020-22) however made contact on simply 70.2% of such choices final 12 months. He remained productive towards fastballs (four-seamers and sinkers alike) however noticed his numbers towards opponents’ sliders, sweepers and cutters take a giant hit. Time will inform whether or not that’s the start of a extra alarming development or just a one-year aberration.
With regard to the rest of the offseason, LeMahieu’s formal anointment because the Yankees’ on a regular basis third baseman is of word. The Yankees already acquired
Alex Verdugo from the archrival Pink Sox after which landed star outfielder Juan Soto in a commerce with the Padres. Torres has been floated as a attainable commerce candidate at numerous factors, and Peraza’s presence may embolden the Yankees to make some form of transfer if the best alternative introduced itself. However Torres was additionally the workforce’s second-best hitter behind Choose this previous season, and the Yankees would absolutely solely swap him out if it meant buying fast MLB assist elsewhere (be it within the rotation, behind the plate or presumably within the ’pen).
