Toronto Blue Jays hope second time the charm with DJ LeMahieu
The Toronto Blue Jays may be looking for an infielder. If so, their second attempt to land DJ LeMahieu may be more successful.
Back in the 2018-19 offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays had been looking for pieces throughout the roster. Their vaunted prospects were not quite ready for the majors, leaving the Blue Jays to hunt for potential pieces in free agency. One player they had interest in was DJ LeMahieu, who ultimately signed a two year deal with the Yankees worth $24 million.
Fast forward two years. For the most part, the Blue Jays infield is set. The second generation set is holding down most of the positions, with Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. seemingly locked into the lineup. However, third base is a bit of a question mark, with Travis Shaw being considered a candidate to be non-tendered.
This would lead to a possible opening. As such, the Blue Jays have been linked to LeMahieu once again, with MLB Trade Rumors even suggesting that he signs a four year deal worth $68 million with Toronto.
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While he was seen as a bit of a question mark in his previous sojourn into free agency, that is no longer the case. LeMahieu had an excellent two seasons in New York, with a combined .336/.386/.536 batting line in his 871 plate appearances, hitting 36 homers and 43 doubles. He won his second batting title this past season, and was named as one of the three finalists for the AL MVP award.
LeMahieu would certainly fill the void that the Blue Jays have at third. While he was a Gold Glove second baseman, he performed well at the hot corner in longer stints. Pressed into action at third in 2019 due to the Yankees’ slew of injuries, he had 52 appearances there, saving three runs. Biggio could also hypothetically move over to third, but LeMahieu has been the better option defensively.
The rumored pursuit of LeMahieu also sends a message to the Blue Jays. They had accelerated their timeline last season, but still need a few pieces to take that next step. If the Blue Jays are truly in on LeMahieu, their pursuit of one of the top free agents available shows that they would be willing to make the moves necessary to move the franchise forward.
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The Toronto Blue Jays were interested in DJ LeMahieu two years ago. Maybe the second time is the charm.