After a seven-season run that included first-place MVP votes, a batting title, career-highs, sub-replacement-level showings, and an eventual midseason release, DJ LeMahieu’s tenure with the Yankees officially came to a close in 2025. The year prior was the real rock-bottom for the three-time All-Star, but ‘25 marked a second straight season in which LeMahieu was a general liability in the field and at the plate, and the Yankees evidently reached their breaking point by early July. It’s a tough way
for a once-revelatory stint in the Bronx to come to a close, but it was more than warranted, as the veteran’s play and health had decayed to a point where the move became necessary.
Grade: F
2025 Stats: 45 games, .266/.338/.336, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 95 wRC+, 0 SB, 0.6 bWAR, 0.3 fWAR
2026 Contract Status: Free agent (released in July)
DJ LeMahieu signed with the Yankees prior to the 2019 season after a largely successful run in Colorado, albeit one that ended with him as more of a solid player rather than the 2016 NL batting champ. The low-stakes move ended up being a resounding success, as the versatile infielder was top-four in MVP voting in each of the two years his contract covered, tapping into new levels of power and easily playing the best baseball of his career. Between 2019-20, he posted a 146 wRC+, and slugged more than 40 points higher than he ever had. He was reborn, and hit like a borderline star on one of baseball’s elite teams.
LeMahieu played his way into a six-year, $90 million contract through the 2026 season, and as is often the case, his best days were already behind him. The veteran was generally fine for the first three years of that second contract—if not a little comparatively underwhelming—but he completely hit a wall in the 2024 campaign. He only got into 67 games as his health continued to deteriorate, and was one of the 10 worst hitters in baseball among those with as many plate appearances. It all came to a head in 2025.
With plenty to prove on the heels of his worst season in the majors, and still under contract for a couple more seasons, LeMahieu was unable to rebound. He didn’t make his return to the lineup until mid-May, and when he did, many of the issues he faced a year prior were persisting. His power had almost entirely disappeared, he was striking out nearly a quarter of the time, and he was unable to play third base, forcing Jazz Chisholm Jr. out of position. Five years removed from getting a first-place MVP vote, LeMahieu was now in the midst of a second straight season with a (still unimpressive) OBP higher than his slugging. At 36 years old, the ship had unfortunately sailed.
During the final month or so of his time in New York, he had sunk back down to his abysmal ‘24 levels. With no end in sight, the Yankees had reached a breaking point. He was benched, designated for assignment on July 9th, and ultimately released a day later, and his time with the Yankees was over. Those final two seasons were a low point in his career, and even with an additional year left on his contract, the Yankees decided it was time to cut ties.
The 2025 season on its own was not necessarily his worst moment, but it also showed minimal signs of hope going forward. He was on the heels of what was his worst, failed to get back above water, and had lost much of what made his arrival in New York so impactful and surprising. All of this was happening in his age-36 season, giving even less credence to hopes of a revival.
Now in his late 30s, having dealt with nagging injuries and with greatly diminished power and a career-high K rate, LeMahieu was sadly a net negative at the plate and in the field. It seems unlikely that the 15-year veteran will latch on anywhere else. With four Gold Gloves, three All-Star appearances, two Silver Sluggers, and a batting title in each league (one of two MLB players history to do that, along with Luis Arraez), LeMahieu has several fine achievements to his name and sure-fire spot in the metaphotical Hall of Very Good. At the peak of his powers, he was an awfully difficult out for opposing pitchers, and terrific defender at multiple positions. That’s a helluva ballplayer.
Despite the failure that 2025 was, LeMahieu’s surprising run in pinstripes will always be looked upon fondly. We’ll just be remembering the early years far more than the DJ who last took the field in 2025.
