DJ LeMahieu’s already uphill battle for the Yankees’ starting third base job may have just ended before it really even began. In his first game of spring training on Saturday afternoon, the veteran infielder tweaked his calf in his second at-bat, and now it looks like he’ll be sidelined for an extended period.
A Costly Roster Spot
LeMahieu, now 36, was expected to compete for the everyday role at third base, but with this latest setback, the Yankees have to seriously consider whether keeping him on the roster is worth the cost. They still owe him $30 million over the next two seasons, but with his offensive regression over the past two years and now mounting durability concerns, that contract is looking like dead weight.