Fifteen million dollars is a staggering amount of money to pay someone to sit on their couch and watch the games on television like the rest of us.
While the New York Yankees are gearing up for another hopeful championship run with a massive payroll, they are still being haunted by the ghosts of contracts past.
We are looking at a projected $256 million payroll on the books for next season (currently), and more signings are yet to come. That figure leaves them with about $45 million before hitting the $300 million luxury tax threshold. However, reports have indicated that the Yankees might be willing to go $20 million over that $300 million line. That financial flexibility is crucial because it would give them about $65 million left to spend after extending Trent Grisham on a one-year, $22 million deal via the qualifying offer.
The Yankees Paying the Price for Past Loyalty
The problem isn’t the money they are spending on the active roster; it’s the checks they are writing to players no longer on the team.
For 2026, the culprit is DJ LeMahieu. The organization is on the hook for the final year of that six-year, $90 million deal they signed back in 2021. The expiration date is finally in sight after the 2026 season, but not before they owe him $15 million next year.
It is a bitter pill to swallow, considering the 37-year-old may not even be in the league when pitchers and catchers report. After the Yankees released him this past season, LeMahieu didn’t sign with another team, signaling that the market for his services has completely evaporated. The front office is effectively burning cash that could be used for bullpen help or bench depth on a player who has simply run out of gas.
DJ LeMahieu Declined Rapidly in the Bronx
You hate to see a former batting champion go out like this, but the numbers don’t lie. He finished the year playing just 45 games, and the production was nonexistent. He hit .266 with an on-base percentage of .338 and a slugging percentage of .336. When your slugging percentage is lower than your on-base percentage, you aren’t scaring any pitchers.
He managed only two homers and 12 RBIs during that stretch, proving he was mostly ineffective at the plate. But the decline wasn’t just offensive. He defensively lost a step, which was his calling card for years. He was not able to play third base effectively anymore, leaving him really only able to fill second base. That became a moot point because that is exactly where Jazz Chisholm was featuring, blocking any path to playing time LeMahieu might have had left.
New York Yankees Pivot to Younger Utility Options
General Manager Brian Cashman has clearly turned the page. The team has Oswaldo Cabrera and Jose Caballero under contract now to fill the primary utility spots. These guys offer the versatility and athleticism that the veteran simply cannot provide at this stage of his life.
LeMahieu will look to continue his career elsewhere, but the phone isn’t ringing off the hook. He might just call it quits having earned plenty of money throughout his playing career. The Yankees will pay the tab regardless, serving as a $15 million reminder that paying for past performance is the quickest way to clog up your future payroll.