Insider Reveals Yankees' $90 Million Veteran Clock Is Ticking Toward Deadline Looming

DJ LeMahieu’s home run in Sunday night's loss to the Red Sox offered a glimpse of the veteran’s offensive spark, but behind the scenes, the New York Yankees are quietly watching a bigger challenge unfold. According to longtime baseball insider Joel Sherman, LeMahieu isn’t just competing against opposing pitchers,  he’s racing against Father Time as well. 

LeMahieu turns 37 on July 13, just three weeks before the trade deadline, and Sherman notes that the window for him to demonstrate his value may be closing fast consistently. While no Yankees official publicly acknowledges this pressure, it is becoming obvious. LeMahieu has until mid-July to prove he can be counted on to contribute at a high level.

"He has a month, maybe a drop more, to show he is still a starting player in whom the Yankees can invest faith," Sherman wrote. 

At 37, age begins to factor heavily into a player’s ability to be productive. For a team like the Yankees,  with championship aspirations, it's a brutal reality. LeMahieu is a two-time batting champion who has shown veteran leadership in that clubhouse for almost six years now.