After the 2018 MLB season, veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu chose to leave the Colorado Rockies in free agency and signed a two-year, $24 million deal with the New York Yankees.
Following a standout All-Star season in 2019 and a strong showing during the shortened 2020 season, LeMahieu re-upped with New York on a six-year, $90 million contract.
Now, with the Yankees visiting Colorado, LeMahieu reflected on his decision to leave the Rockies. When asked if it was difficult to walk away from a Rockies team with a strong core at the time, LeMahieu simply said, “I feel like I made a pretty good choice. I’m happy to be here,” drawing laughs and smiles in the dugout.
At the time of his departure, the Rockies had just wrapped up a 91-win season and a playoff appearance, though they were quickly eliminated by the Brewers in the NLDS. Since then, Colorado has spiraled—failing to post a winning record in any of the six seasons that followed.
Meanwhile, LeMahieu joined a Yankees team on the rise. Since his arrival, the Yankees have gone 503-367, while the Rockies have stumbled to a 359-510 record. In fact, 2025 has been historically bad for Colorado, as they started the season 8-42—matching the worst start in MLB history since 1895.
DJ LeMahieu
LeMahieu clearly made the right call from a team perspective, but his own performance has been a mixed bag. With the Rockies, he was a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, compiling 16.6 WAR over seven seasons. With the Yankees, he’s totaled 13.7 WAR so far and earned just one All-Star nod, one Gold Glove, and two Silver Sluggers.
His early years in New York were strong, but since signing his long-term extension, his production has dipped. From 2021 through 2025, he’s hit .251 with a .697 OPS in over 2,000 plate appearances—well below the .299 average and .760 OPS he posted in Colorado.
A major factor in that decline was a rough 2024 season in which he hit .204 with a .527 OPS and posted a career-worst -1.6 WAR. His 2025 numbers have only slightly improved, hitting .190 with a .625 OPS.
While LeMahieu is no longer the player he was with the Rockies, his decision to sign with the Yankees has paid off in terms of team success—even if his individual numbers have taken a hit.
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