2023 New York Yankees in Review: DJ LeMahieu

After struggling immensely in the first half of the season, DJ LeMahieu was excellent in the second half. Does this bode well for 2024?

DJ LeMahieu

Positions: Third Base (69 games), First Base (56 games), Second Base (9 games)

Bats/Throws: Right/Right

Age: 35

MLB Experience: 13 seasons (2011 with CHC, 2012-2018 with COL, 2019-present with NYY)

2023 Stats: 136 GP, 562 PA, 55 R, 15 HR, 44 RBI, .243 AVG, .327 OBP, .390 SLG, .718 OPS, 96 OPS+, 101 wRC+, 1.1 fWAR, 1.3 bWAR

DJ LeMahieu’s fifth year with the New York Yankees was a tale of two seasons.

There was pre All-Star break, Dillon Lawson-coached LeMahieu, and post All-Star break, Sean Casey-coached LeMahieu. The former was extremely unproductive and was on pace to put up career-worst numbers, but the latter was a return to a form that the Yankees desired when they signed him to a six-year, $90 million contract in the winter of 2021.

Ultimately, LeMahieu’s overall numbers were average to below average, mainly because of that brutal first half. But considering how good he looked in the second half of the season, there’s reason to be optimistic for the 35-year-old in 2024, even if the Yankees bring in another hitting coach.

Before going over LeMahieu’s up-and-down season at the plate, it’s worth mentioning that his defense, while regressing slightly, is still solid. Unlike 2022, where he was consistently rotated at first, second, and third base, 2023 saw him primarily at the corner infield positions, with just nine games played at second base. Although his range has decreased from the previous season, he still ranks at the 72nd percentile in that category on Baseball Savant. In terms of Outs Above Average (OAA), LeMahieu was better as a third baseman than as a first baseman, with +3 at third as opposed to -2 at first.

As for his hitting, a strong second half would ultimately level out a poor first half.

In the first half, LeMahieu looked like a shell of himself, with a .220/.285/.357 slash line and a 77 wRC+. It was extremely alarming to see LeMahieu, the team’s primary contact hitter, fail to make contact in most of his at-bats; he was striking out in nearly 25% of his at-bats, which was nearly double his rate from 2022. He wasn’t getting on base, either; after submitting a career-high 12.4% walk rate, that rate sharply declined to a 7.9% walk rate in the first half. LeMahieu had a particularly brutal June, slashing just .172/.226/.310 with a 45 wRC+ that month.

But on July 9, hitting coach Dillon Lawson was fired and Sean Casey replaced him the next day. This ultimately marked the turning point in LeMahieu’s season.

In addition to having a similar hitting approach, Casey helped quicken up the 35-year-old’s lower-half mechanics in his swing. LeMahieu suffered through a nagging toe injury near the end of 2022 that ultimately led to him not playing in the postseason that year; although he avoided surgery during the offseason, the injury likely threw off his swing mechanics and decreased his bat speed/duration in the strike zone. The changes Casey recommended for LeMahieu were subtle, but quickly yielded results.

In the second half of the season, LeMahieu looked much more like himself at the plate. He slashed .273/.377/.432 with a 129 wRC+, had a 14% walk rate, and showed more power with nine doubles and eight home runs. In particular, he had a torrid August by slashing .291/.391/.506 with a 152 wRC+.

Overall, LeMahieu’s final numbers were unremarkable and a clear regression from the previous season, although the very poor first half was responsible for most of that damage. These numbers, coupled with both personal and team expectations, will ultimately hurt his final grade for the season.

However, the strong second half that helped salvage the stat line did something far more important than improving a season grade. Regardless if Sean Casey does or doesn’t return as hitting coach, LeMahieu was able to rediscover what made him such a valuable hitter, and that bodes well for 2024. If he can post his second half numbers over the course of a full season, the Yankees will have a restored fixture in their lineup.

Grade: C+

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