DJ LeMahieu, a veteran player with the New York Yankees, has seen his performance decline significantly after strong early seasons. Last year was particularly tough with a .527 OPS and injuries that forced him to miss multiple games. After starting this season injured again, LeMahieu made a brief return during rehab, hitting impressively. While concerns about his ability to maintain an everyday spot persist, the unwavering connection fans feel toward him highlights the emotional ties that often accompany players in the game.
After finishing top five in MVP voting in each of his first two years with New York, LeMahieu regressed to a league-average player as he reached his mid-30s.
The bottom fell out last year, with the infielder posting a .527 OPS and -1.6 bWAR, no easy feat for a player whose defense still graded out strongly.
That pessimism was borne out when the 36-year-old tweaked his calf after a single spring training game, missing the rest of camp and the start of the season.
As it relates to a player with DJ's inscrutable demeanor, we fall in love with our guys.
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