After the 2018 season, LeMahieu became a free agency and signed a two-year deal worth $24 million with the New York Yankees on January 11, 2019.
With Didi Gregorius out for the first half of the season following Tommy John surgery, the Yankees presumably planned to play D.J. at second base and Gleyber Torres at short.
Tulowitzki’s signing was more like buying a lottery ticket for the Yankees than a major league minimum deal. D.J. became a regular after Miguel Andujar and Tulowitzki were both out by injury in the first few weeks of the season, and he had a stellar year.
For the month of June, he hit .395 with six home runs and 29 RBIs, and many commentators noted that he was clearly the circuit’s MVP for the first half of the season and was perhaps more responsible than anyone for the Yankees’ ability to overcome their early-season injuries to build an impressive lead atop the AL East.
He was also the American League Player of that same Month. That year’s All-Star Game included him as a starting second baseman.
He hit .327 with 33 doubles, 26 home runs, 109 runs and 102 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 135 for the season, which was a career-high.
He concluded the season as his team’s greatest offensive performance, and his fourth-place finish in the MVP voting was his best ever. Post-season, he continued to hit well.
What Is DJ LeMahieu Nationality?
DJ LeMahieu is American. He was born in Visalia, California, United States.