Yankees: What a contract extension for D.J. LeMahieu could look like

New York Yankees second baseman D.J. LeMahieu is entering the final year of his 2-year, $24 million deal. The main questions of interest will be if GM Brian Cashman decides to re-sign LeMahieu and how much is it going to take?

Last offseason, D.J. LeMahieu was brought to the Bronx to play as a “fifth infielder,” in case of any Yankees injuries. After all, he did not even play on Opening Day.

But he, arguably, turned out to be the 2019 Yanks’ MVP. In 145 games, LeMahieu hit .327 with a career-high 26 home runs and 102 RBIs. Not only was he valuable at the plate, but he was also able to provide stellar defense at first, second and third base.

The 31-year-old was also selected to his third All-Star Game, won his first Silver Slugger Award and finished fourth in American League MVP voting.

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The big questions are what will a contract for LeMahieu look like, and when will he sign that deal?

For starters, LeMahieu is open to a contract extension, saying, “I love it here [The Bronx],” according to the New York Post. This may come in handy if the Yankees cannot grant his salary demands.

Cashman may end up deciding to give him a short-term contract with a higher AAV. LeMahieu will be 32 next offseason and probably won’t land a long-term deal of five or more years.

LeMahieu, instead, will likely command a contract that is around $18-20 million per year for four years, which is a very respectable number for his talents. However, the Yankees may try to talk him down to a different type of pact.

My prediction is that LeMahieu signs an extension for three years, $48 million with a mutual option for a fourth season at $16 million.

This contract will benefit both sides. LeMahieu can work towards the four years he’d hope for, while also getting a 25 percent increase in salary. In turn, the Yankees save up to $8 million over those four years but would be able to keep LeMahieu for an additional season if he performs well.

The chances are that an extension with LeMahieu will not be completed any time soon, but it’s something that could very well happen.