Two years of excellence should be rewarded with loyalty and respect, but New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is playing the long game with DJ LeMahieu this off-season. LeMahieu is up for a new contract and is looking for a long-term deal worth $25 million per season over five years. However, Cashman is on strict orders to save as much money as possible after a financially stressful 2020 season.
Nonetheless, the Yankees have plenty of money to spend, but ownership wants to stay beneath the $210 million luxury tax threshold. With that being the case, Cashman is being forced to stay conservative, saving every penny so he can allocate resources toward other units that need strengthening.