Yankees Surprisingly Released Gold Glove Veteran Could Be Tremendous Fit for Cubs

The Chicago Cubs under president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer have never been afraid to get creative when it comes to finding ways to improve.

With the trade deadline coming up in a few weeks and the Cubs looking capable of accomplishing something special this year, Hoyer is expected to be relentless in making upgrades to his pitching staff.

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Lately though, the idea of adding some infielding help has become popular as the lineup has started to be stifled a bit following a historic start to the year.

While rookie Matt Shaw has improved exponentially on defense since returning to the big leagues, he is struggling at the plate right now, and adding a one-year rental there could make sense for the sake of options.

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Obviously, a trade was the most likely route to go there, but a new development on Thursday gives Chicago another option.

Longtime veteran former four-time Gold Glove winner and American League MVP candidate DJ LeMahieu was released by the New York Yankees after being designated for assignment. Officially a free agent, the 36-year-old is able to sign with whoever he wants.

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Whether or not he simply chooses to walk away after a series of injuries over the last couple of years remains to be seen, but if LeMahieu is looking for a new opportunity, it could be worth exploring for the Cubs.

Winning a Gold Glove as a utility player as recently as 2022, LeMahieu can play any position in the infield and could certainly replace the role that someone like Jon Berti or Justin Turner has disappointed in.

LeMahieu is far from the player he once was, but he is a respected veteran who has accomplished a ton in his career and in a worst-case scenario, can be a positive presence in the clubhouse as well as a mentor to Shaw.

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His slash line of .266/.338/.336 in 45 games this year clears that of both Turner and Berti, and though he would not be the kind of splash to light the fanbase on fire, LeMahieu could wind up contributing in a meaningful way down the stretch or in the postseason.

If Chicago feels the same way, at least giving the three-time All-Star a phone call and gauging where his head is at could make a whole lot of sense.

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