Yankees DFA LeMahieu with nearly $22M left on deal

The New York Yankees designated infielder DJ LeMahieu for assignment, the team announced Wednesday.

LeMahieu, who turns 37 on Sunday, is owed almost $22 million on the remainder of his contract, which runs through 2026, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. He signed a six-year deal worth $90 million with New York in 2021.

"I ultimately made a decision that is best for the roster configuration moving forward," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday about parting ways with LeMahieu, according to SNY.

The split comes after the Yankees decided to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back from third base to second base and take LeMahieu, who'd been playing second, out of the everyday lineup.

"It's been a tough couple days, some hard conversations, and then ultimately coming to this decision, obviously not easy for what's been a great player," Boone said, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. "He's done a lot of great things for this organization, but at the end, I feel like this is the right thing to do at this time."

LeMahieu joined the Yankees in 2019 at the peak of his career after earning two All-Star nods as a member of the Colorado Rockies. He had an immediate impact in N.Y. and finished third in MVP voting while claiming his second career batting title in 2020. However, he hasn't replicated that success lately, posting a .266/.338/.336 slash line with two home runs in 142 plate appearances this season.

The Yankees recalled infielder Jorbit Vivas from Triple-A in a corresponding roster move. Boone said Wednesday that Vivas, Oswald Peraza, and J.C. Escarra are New York's options at third.

New York also shuffled its bullpen ahead of Wednesday's game by selecting Cam Schlittler from Triple-A and designating Geoff Hartlieb for assignment.