Report says Dodgers still in hunt for DJ
The longer DJ LeMahieu remains on the free-agent market, the more teams emerge ready to make an offer. And the reigning World Series champion Dodgers have continued to be in the conversation.
It should signal an alarm at Yankee Stadium when another heavyweight contender won’t stop vying for the guy that helped keep the Yankees relevant in 2020.
“The Dodgers have continued to show interest in free agent DJ LeMahieu,” MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported on Twitter Saturday.
LeMahieu would make an excellent addition to any roster, especially one trying to defend its title. If the Dodgers don’t re-sign free agent Justin Turner, LeMahieu could be used as the strong arm at third, assuming the Dodgers plan to keep Gavin Lux and/or Chris Taylor at second. Turner is, at least, the player manager Dave Roberts wants back.
“He’s one of the Dodger greats, he really is. ... I’ll take him for as long as I can have him,” Roberts said on Dec. 17.
But that’s also what the Yankees said about LeMahieu.
“DJ LeMahieu is a big piece of (fielding a championship contending team). ... Our strong preference is DJ LeMahieu to return and play second for us,” GM Brian
Cashman said on Dec. 16.
At the end of the day, money talks. LeMahieu was willing to take a pay cut to get another contract with the Yankees, but the last word on negotiations put LaMahieu and the Yankees more than $25 million apart.
The Dodgers aren’t even the team able to cut the biggest check. They are one of three teams aside from the Yankees trying to get LeMahieu’s attention.
Every team owner has cried poverty after losing out on revenue because of the pandemic-shortened 60-game season, which prevented fans from attending regular-season games. That is, every team except the Mets, with new billionaire owner Steve Cohen. Though it seems unlikely LeMahieu will go to the Yankees’ crosstown rivals, especially with Cohen stating he’s not getting into it with the Bronx Bombers, they can give him more than the Yankees are seemingly willing to.
There are also the Blue Jays, who have emerged as a likely team for “The Machine” if he doesn’t stay in the Bronx. The Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette has even gone to bat for LeMahieu, saying he would like to play alongside “the best hitter in baseball.”
If the Yankees truly have prioritized the reigning AL batting champ to be part of their 2021 roster, they might have to overlook the luxury tax threshold one more time.