GM Brian Cashman addressed the current situation between the Yankees and the only player anyone really cares about for the club at the moment, DJ LeMahieu, on Wednesday.
As manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday, it’s no secret that the Yankees are pursuing LeMahieu heavily right now and Cashman reiterated that point.
“He’s clearly the most public of those [free agent targets], and therefore, is clearly a great deal of interest and that’s why everyone on this call is trying to cover it and spread the information properly,” Cashman told reporters via Zoom.
SNY’s Andy Martino previously reported the Yankees were waiting to see what happens with LeMahieu before doing anything else
“Certainly, it’s driving the bus a little bit,” he said. “We have a very strong, committed roster already and that’s an example of the Steinbrenner family’s commitment to fielding a championship-contending team. DJ LeMahieu’s a big piece of that, so we’re certainly not dipping our toes in various waters until we get a feel for how that declares itself.”
The most recent report regarding those negotiations said both sides were off by $25 million, with LeMahieu looking for a deal worth $100 million over five years, per NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty. Because of that, LeMahieu was reportedly going to start listening to other teams’ offers. But the interest is obviously still there.
Cashman made another point that is vital to the LeMahieu negotiations ahead of spring training: He believes the Yankees will still have the highest payroll in the game next season.
Brian Cashman offers an update on free agency:
"Our strong preference is for DJ LeMahieu to return and play second for us…the atmosphere is good since he wants to stay and we'd like to keep him" pic.twitter.com/TcETtvFkjO
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) December 16, 2020
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].