Second base DJ LeMahieu and the New York Yankees are finalizing a six-year deal worth $ 90 million, sources familiar with Jeff Passan’s agreement told ESPN.
LeMahieu finished third in the AL MVP vote after winning the AL title with an average of .364, leading MLB during the 2020 season shortened by the pandemic, becoming the fourth player. in Yankees history to lead the majors in that category. along with Mickey Mantle (.353 in 1956), Joe DiMaggio (.381 in 1939) and Lou Gehrig (.363 in 1934).
It was the second career title of his career for 32-year-old LeMahieu, who won the National League crown with a .348 batting average for the Colorado Rockies in 2016. He was joined by Ed Delahanty, Hall of Famer. (1899, 1902) as the only players to win batting titles in both leagues.
LeMahieu had turned down a $ 18.9 million one-year qualifying offer from the Yankees.
Although most of his playing time is in the middle, LeMahieu, who won $ 12 million in 2020, also sees action at first and third bases. He has elite skills and contact discipline, finishing the season with 10 rounds at home, including seven for the opposing team, the best in MLB, 41 rounds scored and 27 RBIs and led the American League in the base percentage ( .421). OPS (1,011) and OPS + (177).
“If you add the last two years to the major, he’s on the shortlist to be the best player in the sport,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after the regular season. “It was so shocking. In the most important moments, it always seems to work.”
In two seasons with the Yankees, LeMahieu has averaged 336 batters in 195 games, 36 home runs, 129 RBIs, 150 home runs and a .922 OPS. During this time, he led the majors with 80 multi-hit games and was second with 268 hits, while posting a .384 batting average with runners in the scoring position.
He also challenged the perceived norm by hitting runs more frequently while playing for the Yankees (every 24 appearances on the set) than with the Rockies (76).
The only failure of his 2020 season came when he landed on the 10-day list of people with disabilities in August after turning his thumb in an awkward swing. It was the second time he had injured his thumb; He also broke a small bone while with the Rockies in 2018.
The three-time All-Star selection has the name of Silver Bat (2019) and three gold gloves (2014, 2017-18), proving its value on the field and on the field. In 2018, while with the Rockies, he led all major leagues in defensive regression analysis.
In 10 major league seasons, LeMahieu, a Chicago Cubs second-round draft pick in the 2009 draft, has an average of 305 home runs with 85 home runs, 478 RBIs, 651 home runs and a .787 OPS.
ESPN’s Marly Rivera contributed to this report.