After seven years, New York Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu's tenure with the team has come to an abrupt end.
The Yankees designated LeMahieu for assignment in a surprise move Wednesday afternoon, following indications that the team would move him to the bench after the return of infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.
LeMahieu, 36, is slashing .266/.338/.336 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 45 games this season—a solid-if-not-spectacular rebound from a 2024 where he cost his team 1.6 wins above replacement.
New York signed LeMahieu away from the Colorado Rockies in January 2019, and he briefly threatened to become one of the best players in baseball around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. He slashed a sizzling .327/.375/.518 with 102 RBIs in 2019, and nearly won the American League MVP in a 2020 season that saw him hit .364.
LeMahieu added a Gold Glove, the fourth of his career, in 2022.
The Yankees are currently 50-41, and sit 3.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East division.
