January 25, 2023

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu's 2022 season was disrupted by an injury, limiting him to 125 games. He played well overall, though, slashing .261/.357/.377 with 12 home runs, 74 runs, 46 RBI, and four stolen bases. However, LeMahieu played with an injured toe the last two months and hit .285 with 11 home runs before the calendar flipped to August. The 34-year-old heads into 2023 healthy, and fantasy managers should buy in again. LeMahieu's always been a batting average specialist with a .297 career mark and seven consecutive seasons of a sub-14.2% strikeout rate. The 26 home runs from 2019 are an outlier over his 12-year career, but he plays his home games in New York and has averaged about 16 dingers per 162 games over the past three seasons. The Yankees have a powerful lineup, and given LeMahieu's on-base ability (.367 OBP as a Yankee), he'll be touching home plenty. The club doesn't have a set position for the veteran, but there's little doubt he'll reach 130 games if he stays off the injured list, considering his versatility, production, and the unproven youngsters on the roster, such as Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza. Providing fantasy owners with a .275 average, 12 HRs, 140 RBI plus runs, and a few stolen bases is something to be happy about, especially with eligibility at first, second, and third base. LeMahieu's 254 ADP is a bargain.--Spencer Seguin