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DJ LeMahieu attempts to tag out Josh Smith of the Rangers.
The New York Yankees have a few ways to go at the trade deadline, but certain areas are much more important to fix than others. Among those is replacing DJ Lemahieu, an excellent veteran who is no longer what he once was.
It’s unfortunate that Lemahieu has dealt with the issues he has over the past few years, but the harsh reality of the situation is that he’s simply getting older, has dealt with injuries, and has struggled. It happens when players age, and it doesn’t detract from anything he’s accomplished throughout his career.
However, for a Yankees team looking to win a World Series, that wasn’t good enough. New York designated him for assignment on Wednesday.
The Yankees will have to look to replace him, and The Athletic recently linked them to a very intriguing name in the form of Ozzie Albies of the Atlanta Braves.
“Perhaps the season has gone south enough for Atlanta and for Albies that a player with notoriously inexpensive team control through 2027 becomes available. Albies is in the midst of his worst big-league season by far, and since 2022, he’s posted a league-average OPS while missing significant time with injuries. There’s still value in the talent and the contract for an acquiring team, and Atlanta’s farm system could use a kickstart,” they wrote.
Albies’ Fit With the Yankees
Now, while Albies would be a great addition for the New York Yankees, it’s also important to remember that he’d still play second base, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. moving over to third, which he’s already done for much of the year.
Chisholm recently played second base, and reports have suggested that he’s dealing with a shoulder injury, so this doesn’t necessarily help the Yankees in that regard.
When searching for what the Yankees need at the deadline, the New York Post recently noted that they’ll be interested in adding an infielder, preferably at third base. If that’s the case, it might mean that someone like Albies is not on their radar.
“Preferably right-handed and who can play third base, which would move Jazz Chisholm Jr. back to his more natural second base,” they wrote .
Will the Braves Be Sellers at the Deadline?
The Atlanta Braves have arguably been the most disappointing team in Major League Baseball this season, so moving on from Albies makes some sense.
However, while the switch-hitter has struggled a bit during the year, it’s also fair to suggest that he’s still dealing with that wrist injury from a year ago.
When Albies has been healthy, there’s a strong argument to be made that he’s among the top three second basemen in baseball.
Despite that, MLB.com recently named him a potential trade candidate due to how badly the Braves have played.
“Remember when everybody said the Braves got a steal when Albies signed a seven-year $35 million deal in April 2019 that includes $7 million options for the 2026 and ‘27 seasons. Well, even with a $4 million buyout, there’s strong reason to argue the option shouldn’t be exercised next year. Albies’ .613 OPS ranks 151th out of 157 qualified players this season and he ranks 35th out of 46 qualified second basemen with a minus-one outs above average,” Mark Bowman wrote .
“If medical personnel are confident Albies’ offensive struggles are a lingering effect of last year’s left wrist injury and next year will be different, then there might be reason to exercise the option. But if not, why not try to get something for him now?”
Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan
