After finally benching DJ LeMahieu, the New York Yankees abruptly designated him for assignment the following day. Manager Aaron Boone was cutthroat about the well-overdue decision to remove the veteran infielder from the lineup, so the consequent move isn't too shocking. Nonetheless, with his time in pinstripes officially over, the question is: Where does he go next?
The St. Louis Cardinals have an easy connection to LeMahieu, courtesy of their third baseman and his former longtime running mate, Nolan Arenado. The two spent six seasons together from 2013 to 2018 as members of the Colorado Rockies, spearheading the franchise's two most recent playoff berths. However, a team in postseason contention in 2025 shouldn't be trying to recreate the past of a decade ago.
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Cardinals signing DJ LeMahieu would give fans a reunion no one asked for
New York has seven days to either trade LeMahieu or place him on outright or unconditional release waivers. No one will willingly take on the $22 million he's owed through 2026. That means the three-time All-Star can eventually be had as a free agent, though the Cardinals shouldn't take the bait, even as a flier.
Boone made it quite clear that LeMahieu physically can't handle manning the hot corner anymore at this stage in his career. Besides, it's not like "The Machine" would come in and replace Arenado, one of the greatest defenders ever, at third. He also can't shift to second or first, because that's where two of St. Louis' best players, Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras, reside.
Moreover, the Yankees didn't view LeMahieu's offensive production (or lack thereof) as grounds to at least keep him as a bench bat. They opted to eat a significant amount of money to give his spot on the 40-man roster to someone else instead. And frankly, it's hard to blame them. He's slashing .228/.295/.289 with four home runs, 38 RBIs and a paltry .584 OPS across 329 at-bats since 2024, posting a minus-0.9 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
If LeMahieu can't help the Cardinals with his glove or as a reserve hitter, what does he bring to the table besides experience? This idea is nothing more than a publicity stunt for St. Louis; it's not conducive to winning. Yes, he and Arenado once thrived together in Colorado, but a lot has changed between then and now.