Yankees cut 2-time batting champ DJ LeMahieu with nearly $22 million left on contract

NEW YORK (AP) — DJ LeMahieu was cut Wednesday by the New York Yankees with almost $22 million remaining on his contract, one day after the two-time batting champion got demoted to the bench.

“It’s been a tough couple days. Some hard conversations,” manager Aaron Boone said before New York’s 9-6 victory over the Seattle Mariners. “But in the end, feel like this is the right thing to do at this time.”

LeMahieu, who turns 37 on Sunday, was designated for assignment and fellow infielder Jorbit Vivas was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

New York has seven days to trade or release LeMahieu, or send him outright to the minors — an assignment he would have the right to refuse in favor of free agency.

It’s very unlikely another team would claim LeMahieu off waivers because he’s still owed $21,612,903 from the $90 million, six-year deal he signed with the Yankees prior to the 2021 season. New York must pay him $6,612,903 for the rest of this season and $15 million in 2026.

“Tough decisions,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “It ultimately comes down to how this roster sits and what’s best. You want to provide your manager with enough chess moves.”

LeMahieu, a three-time All-Star, was batting .266 with two homers, 12 RBIs and a .674 OPS. He made his season debut May 13 after recovering from a left calf strain and had a .310 average in his last 31 games since June 1.

A versatile defender in the past, LeMahieu has made all 35 of his starts at second base this year — even though he’s got plenty of experience at third and the Yankees essentially have a hole there.

Going back to the winter, LeMahieu expressed a preference to play second or first because third base “had become an issue physically” at this stage of his career, Cashman said.

So that’s why LeMahieu played second exclusively throughout his minor league rehab assignment and was inserted there when he came off the injured list.

All-Star infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. began the season at second base, his most natural position, after playing third for the Yankees last year. But he got hurt in late April and when he returned in early June from a right oblique strain, he moved back to the hot corner for a while as LeMahieu stayed at second.

“We gave him runway to see what he looked like, to see if this dimension with the current setup was going to be workable,” Cashman said. “At some point, you make some tough decisions.”

LeMahieu won three Gold Gloves at second with Colorado from 2014-18 — and another one in a utility role with the Yankees in 2022. But his range has been diminished by toe, foot, hip and calf injuries in recent years.

The athletic Chisholm, meanwhile, has made some wild throws from third base lately while hindered by a sore shoulder. So on Tuesday, Boone moved Chisholm back to second and put LeMahieu on the bench.

Boone said LeMahieu didn’t ask for his release and was willing to start working out at other positions — including third base — to provide options.

But a day later, after multiple meetings with Boone and Cashman this week, LeMahieu’s 6 1/2-year tenure with the Yankees came to an unceremonious end.

“Looking at what the next few weeks could unveil, kind of Cash and I decided today like, it was probably the day to go ahead and do it,” Boone said. “I just feel like now and how our roster’s built, maybe this gives us some more flexibility in the short term.”

Boone said third base going forward will be “some kind of combination” between Vivas and light-hitting Oswald Peraza, who started at the hot corner for the second consecutive night Wednesday.

Boone also said backup catcher J.C. Escarra could even “figure into that mix.”

Regardless, Cashman will be looking for a third baseman as the July 31 trade deadline approaches.

New York added depth by signing infielder Nicky Lopez and third baseman Jeimer Candelario to minor league contracts this month.

LeMahieu won his first batting title in 2016 with the Rockies and his second with New York in 2020, when he hit .364 with 10 homers and 27 RBIs in 50 games during the pandemic-shortened season.

“As widely respected a player as we’ve had — and understandably so,” Boone said. “He’s earned that with just his professionalism, his toughness, his play on the field and just kind of the quiet way he goes about things. There’s a lot of guys that have an immense amount of respect for DJ.

“Sometimes you have to make hard decisions.”

In another move, the Yankees opened a roster spot for right-hander Cam Schlittler by designating reliever Geoff Hartlieb for assignment. Schlittler was selected from Triple-A to start Wednesday night against Seattle in his major league debut.

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