Yankees' veterans reportedly pulled DJ LeMahieu move that will infuriate fans

With the 2025 regular season perilously close, the New York Yankees still have a well-defined hole at either second or third base, depending on where they situate Jazz Chisholm.

The current plan, according to management, is to let DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera fight for the open spot, which will more than likely be at third. The Yankees purportedly have no plans to pursue either Alex Bregman (cue Jeff Passan's slackjawed disbelief) or Nolan Arenado. It's Marcus Stroman trade + Jorge Polanco/Brendan Rodgers or bust (or internal options, which are pretty much "bust" personified).

So how'd LeMahieu end up back on the depth chart after posting a 51 OPS+/-1.6 bWAR in Year 4 of of a six-year, $90 million extension? According to recent rumors, confirmed "multiple times" after Barstool's Eric Hubbs' recent assertion, the Yankees' veterans stepped up when they smelled the end of his time in pinstripes.

Last September, with LeMahieu floundering at his lowest point, a DFA in order to bring Jasson Dominguez to the bigs for a September audition seemed all but assured. Instead, according to whispers, the Yankees' veterans intervened, not wanting to see LeMahieu go out so sad.

LeMahieu's roster spot was spared; he was placed on the IL with a "hip injury" on Sept. 9, with Dominguez rising to the active roster to take his place in a different manner.

Yankees veterans apparently protected DJ LeMahieu from Jasson Dominguez DFA

Don't know about you guys, but that kind of fellow sounds like a rock solid Opening Day third base plan to me.

Left-handed pitcher Anthony Misiewicz is the person who should truly be the most upset by this revelation. When LeMahieu was placed on the IL opposite Dominguez's promotion, the Yankees also activated Jon Berti from the 60-Day IL and DFA'd the lefty. Knowing LeMahieu had been a DFA option only a week prior, but had been spared by the team's big guns, so you got the boot and he got to hang out on the IL? Brutal.

LeMahieu has definitely done enough as a Yankee for his friends and baseball family to want to see his exit treated with some grace. Still, it's a business, and his foot injury has rendered him beyond ineffective. If this kind gesture leads to LeMahieu starting this season, you know exactly who to blame (in addition to Hal Steinbrenner's fake line in the sand, of course).