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3 reasons the Yankees won’t break the bank for D.J. LeMahieu

By Rucker Haringey

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 27: DJ LeMahieu #26 of the New York Yankees looks on during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium on September 27, 2020 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 27: DJ LeMahieu #26 of the New York Yankees looks on during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium on September 27, 2020 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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Yankees fans are desperate for their favorite team to re-sign D.J. LeMahieu. Why won’t New York just pay the cash required to keep him in pinstripes?

The only thing stopping the Yankees from re-signing D.J. LeMahieu is the small issue of meeting his contract demands. The All-Star infielder was clearly the team’s best player last season. That makes the idea that Brian Cashman might let him walk via free agency an infuriating thought for Yankees fans.

Reports claim that LeMahieu and his representatives want a five-year deal that will pay him $100 million. The Yankees’ current offer sits somewhere around four years for $75 million. That gap has fostered optimism inside other front offices that want to steal LeMahieu away from New York this offseason.

It’s also engendered a sense of panic for Yankees fans. They can’t understand why the most storied franchise in MLB would let such an important player go for free. Here are the three biggest reasons why the Yankees front office is reluctant to meet LeMahieu’s contract demands.

3. The Yankees’ revenue loss does actually matter

Fans love to scoff at the idea that a franchise worth as much as the Yankees might actually feel the effects of revenue lost to COVID-19. It’s true that the current pandemic isn’t going to bankrupt the franchise, but it’s entirely understandable that New York is hesitant to increase their payroll in the midst of such financial uncertainty.

Meeting LeMahieu’s demands wouldn’t necessarily send the team’s payroll skyrocketing, but it would add one more big deal to the team’s balance sheet. Giving him $25 million per season might severely restrict Cashman’s ability to fill other roster needs this offseason. In particular, bringing LeMahieu back wouldn’t do anything to fortify the team’s starting rotation.

The simple truth is that even rich people get concerned when they see their income slashed for a significant period of time. The same is true for rich sports franchises like the Yankees. COVID-19 could cost the Yankees their best player.

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