The Brewers must avoid adding this recently released veteran

The New York Yankees shocked the baseball world on Wednesday afternoon when they designated 15-year veteran DJ LeMahieu for assignment. Today, he was officially released. LeMahieu is still owed roughly $22 million on the six-year, $90 million contract extension that he signed with the Yankees in 2021. The luxury of cutting ties with a player still owed a considerable amount of money over the next season and a half is one that only the largest markets in baseball can afford.

Not only is the move shocking because of the money still owed to the almost 37-year-old infielder, but it also caught fans off guard because LeMahieu has actually picked things up as of late. After a brutal, injury-riddled 2024 season that resulted in the 2x batting champion appearing in just 67 games and posting an OPS+ of 52, LeMahieu was putting together a respectable bounce-back campaign in 2025. Though his .674 OPS might not look too impressive, LeMahieu has been a bright spot for the Yankees in what has otherwise been a disappointing last month for New York. In fact, since June 1, LeMahieu is slashing .310/.375/.379 for an OPS of .754.

With several teams in need of a veteran bat as the trade deadline approaches, LeMahieu's name has unsurprisingly popped up as a popular target, given that the Yankees will continue to pay his salary through the 2026 season, meaning he would be a very cheap addition to any roster. With the Brewers in the market for a veteran bat, it is natural to wonder whether LeMahieu could be a good fit, but some red flags in his profile should fend off Matt Arnold and the Brewers' front office.

Brewers should steer clear of DJ LeMahieu after his shocking release by Yankees

A main reason for LeMahieu's release from the Yankees roster was his recent benching, which was brought on by New York's decision to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base, his natural position. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that while LeMahieu was open to moving to third base and did not want to be released by the team, the position proved to be too physically demanding for him.

A player who was released because of his lack of positional versatility does not sound like someone who would fit in well on the Brewers — a team that prioritizes versatility. Additionally, both LeMahieu's power and speed have essentially disappeared from his game as he's gotten older and battled injuries. So without the ability to play third base or add some pop to the Brewers' lineup, there's really no place for LeMahieu on Milwaukee's roster, regardless of how enticing his contract situation is.

If the Brewers are going to take away meaningful at-bats from their young infielders — at-bats that are necessary for their development — it has to be for a clear upgrade. For example, a player like Eugenio Suarez offers a clear upgrade in the power department over the Brewers' current infielders, so while it means taking a step back defensively, that's a move that makes sense for the Crew because his addition to the lineup moves the needle in a way that adding LeMahieu wouldn't.

It's shaping up to be an interesting deadline, and hopefully over the next few weeks, more sellers will emerge. If the Brewers do end up adding a bat, the front office may have to get creative about where that bat comes from and even what position it covers. Back in 2018, despite having a solid everyday third baseman in Travis Shaw, the Crew added Mike Moustakas and converted Shaw to a second baseman (something that was much easier during the era of the shift). A similar creative move could be the answer for the Brewers at this year's deadline.