The New York Yankees this offseason have seen the lowest of lows by losing Juan Soto just by a little. But they quickly pivoted and added key pieces to their lineup, whether it’s by adding Cody Bellinger or Max Fried. However, there is still one glaring issue staring at them—the third base. The fans hoped there would be a clear solution to it. But January has come and gone and the team has not signed anyone. Right now, they are fine with DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza battling it out.

Are you serious? Does DJ LeMahieu still have the team’s support? If that’s your question, then judging by Aaron Boone’s latest comments, it sure seems like it. He is very much in the Yankee’s plans despite his declining performance. Boone, speaking at a Q&A event in New Jersey, was asked about LeMahieu, and he highlighted how he still believes in him.

“I think a lot of people are counting out DJ…It wasn’t long ago when DJ was one of the best hitters in the American League.” LeMahieu was a batting champion in the National and American Leagues and even an MVP finalist in 2020. So, sure, LeMahieu was a great hitter, but really, it’s been a while now. Hasn’t it?

Now the quality of gameplay is far different. The real picture now is injuries and inconsistency. The issue is he is still owed $30 million over the next two seasons, $15 million each, meaning he is one of the most expensive question marks on the bullpen now. But good for him, Boone still 100% believes in him. Speaking to Max Goodman, Boone said, “If [DJ LeMahieu] is healthy, there’s no doubt in my mind he can contribute.” That’s a big if. His durability is of huge concern plus his offensive production has dipped too. Fans are no longer even trusting that even if he is healthy, he can be the player he once was.

Now external options are available, even though it’s not really ideal this late in the off-season. The New York Yankees could make a move, but Boone seems hell-bent on giving just another chance to DJ LeMahieu. “There are no guarantees, obviously. But I know how great of a hitter he is. With some health, hopefully he can carve out a role for himself.” Well, that’s trusting a player who hasn’t been able to prove himself for years. Boone is standing behind him, but fans certainly are not.

Fans cannot digest Aaron Boone’s trust in DJ LeMahieu

Bluntly, one X user asked for the Yankees to stop the nonsense. And it’s not hard to understand fans’ frustrations. In 2024, DJ LeMahieu’s numbers were well, not great. A 204/.269/.259 slash line with just 26 RBIs across 67 games. He had one offensive burst—his six-RBI game against the Philadelphia Phillies. But that’s it. Largely his season was forgettable, not something expected of someone like him. So fans don’t get why the team wants to stick around with him.

The Yankees are done, one frustrated fan declared on Twitter. Now it’s understandable, but while this user and many are irritated by Aaron Boone and his defense of DJ LeMahieu, the real frustration might be directed at Brian Cashman. He is the one who failed to get a legit third baseman after all. As a manager, Boone simply has to work with the roster he is given. And if he did say that now the team is washed with LeMahieu, it wouldn’t help, would it? So maybe Boone is simply, in the end, consoling himself and the team, that it will work out.

Another annoyed fan said the team won’t win with him as manager. Now this rage has been there for a while against Boone. But more so now, because Hal Steinbrenner recently came out in support of Boone, saying he is a great manager. Plus, there will be talks about extension. Yes, Steinbrenner himself is under fire for not running the franchise like his dad. Plus, add in his support for Aaron Boone, and things are not looking good. Fans want a 2009 repeat, and Cashman and Boone are not working well enough for them to reach them any sooner.

Another fan laughed at Boone’s thinking highlight of LeMahieu. Now surprisingly, last season, he told Talkin Yanks the same things. But the truth is LeMahieu is simply having a hard time staying healthy over the last three seasons. He injured his toe in 2022, then his foot in 2024. And he is also getting older, right? So fans simply don’t have much hope for him.

Another fan wants the madness to stop. And really, the big question is the team has already shown their willingness to eat their contract. Like they moved on from Aaron Hicks. So that’s why the real question is why they are still holding on to LeMahieu. And all the money-crunching, “poor” Yankee narrative, no one is buying that, not even insiders. To make matters worse, there are recent rumors that suggest that other Yankee veterans intervened to keep LeMahieu from being DFA’d in September when Jasson Dominguez was called up. Then, he instead landed on IL with a hip injury!

Are you hopeful that this is the season LeMaheiu will finally get back to being himself from 2020? Let us know your thoughts.