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Yankees’ Aaron Judge breaks silence on DJ LeMahieu release

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Jordan Llanes | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 12:32 PM ET

The New York Yankees’ quest to return to the World Series has taken some bumps. As the All-Star Break approaches, it’s clear that the team needs reinforcements in a few spots. Coming into the season, the hope was that DJ LeMahieu would be able to help fill the void at second or third base. Unfortunately, his decline was just too much for the team to overcome. The team released the former batting champion on Thursday. After the release, Yankees captain Aaron Judge spoke to the New York Daily News’ Gary Phillips and other press about LeMahieu’s absence.

“He’s going to be missed,” Judge, a teammate of LeMahieu’s since 2019, said during a scrum inside the Yankees’ clubhouse, to Phillips on Thursday.

Even though he was clearly in decline, the man also known as “the Machine” was still a beloved figure in New York’s clubhouse. One of the team’s veterans, many young players came to him for advice and guidance. Judge certainly leaned on his experience as he has continued his growth as the latest Yankee captain. Now that LeMahieu is gone, there are many ways in which the loss of his presence will be felt. Can the Bronx Bombers overcome the loss of a beloved teammate and right the ship moving forward?

Aaron Judge, Yankees might be better without DJ LeMahieu

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) makes a diving catch in the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

After the All-Star Break, the MLB Trade Deadline will be about two weeks away. The past few weeks have been especially rough for the Yankees, as they’ve suffered multiple losing streaks. Although Judge has been his otherworldly self once again this season, he still needs help. GM Brian Cashman will need to bring in reinforcements. The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty shared the long-time general manager’s thoughts on needing to replace LeMahieu and more.

“Moving on from LeMahieu further emphasized to the Yankees that they need to add another infielder, and that it would almost certainly have to be a third baseman with the club telling Jazz Chisholm Jr. that he would be moving back to second base,” wrote Kuty earlier this week. “The plan, manager Aaron Boone said, is for Oswald Peraza and rookie Jorbit Vivas to share third base for the foreseeable future.”

As nice as that sounds, not bringing in a viable replacement for LeMahieu may really come back to sting the Bombers. Will Cashman bring in the much-needed help that Judge and the rest of his roster deserves? If so, then another World Series run would be much easier to sustain moving forward.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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