Fansided

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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DJ LeMahieu., New York Yankees
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 17: DJ LeMahieu #26 of the New York Yankees hits during the second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium on September 17, 2020 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

2. LeMahieu’s age

The Yankees front office is trying their best to reverse the franchise’s nasty habit of giving veteran players lengthy contracts that overpay them past their prime. The fact that LeMahieu wants a five-year deal at the age of 32 sets off warning bells for Cashman and his front office.

LeMahieu and his camp would argue that he’s a player whose skill set should age well. There’s a lot of truth in that argument. He’s not depending on foot speed or massive power to provide value for his club. There’s no reason to think his performance is going to fall off a cliff due to losing a step or two of quickness.

The end of any five-year deal LeMahieu is still going to look bad for the team that gives it to him. Simple logic tells you he won’t be the same player at age 37 that he is now. LeMahieu could easily provide solid value for the first few years of his next contract, but the Yankees are right to be concerned with overpaying on the backend of any deal.

That’s why the issue of the fifth season could turn into a deal-breaker for Cashman. He understands what an albatross Giancarlo Stanton’s lengthy deal already is for the Yankees. The odds are stacked against a LeMahieu deal ever becoming that toxic, but it doesn’t mean New York wants to sign a deal that will hamstring their financial flexibility in a few years.

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