ARLINGTON, Texas — The New York Yankees were preparing for their series opener against the Rangers on Monday night. On the other side of the country, the man who wore pinstripes for seven seasons was finally saying his goodbyes.
DJ LeMahieu posted a heartfelt message to Instagram before the game. Nearly 10 months after being released by the Yankees, the former All-Star infielder put his feelings into words. The post picked up more than 25,000 likes in two hours.
The timing was not a coincidence. The Yankees are in Arlington this week. LeMahieu spent time in this part of the country. He clearly had not said everything he wanted to say when his time in New York ended.
The post that stopped fans in their tracks
LeMahieu’s message opened with a recognition that time had passed. He had been released on July 10, 2025, after nine and a half months of silence on the subject. He chose Monday to break it.
The words were personal and direct. He addressed the organization, the fans and his former teammates, and he made clear that New York had left a permanent mark on him. The post read in full:
“I know it’s been a minute but just want to make sure I say thank you to the @yankees organization, all of the fans and my teammates for my time in New York. I may have been three years shy of being a true ‘New Yorker,’ but New York will forever feel like home. I’m thankful to have been a part of some incredible moments on the field. Hoping for continued success for the boys! DJ”
The Yankees responded quickly on social media. The official Yankees account replied to the post with a message of their own.
“Thank you, DJ. An incredible teammate on and off the field! Wishing you all the best.”
A departure that stung both ways
LeMahieu’s release last summer was one of the messier partings of his career. The Yankees designated him for assignment on July 9, 2025, and officially released him the following day.
The move came after Jazz Chisholm Jr. was shifted back to second base, eliminating LeMahieu’s only realistic path to regular playing time. He had already been limited to second base all season because of a left calf strain sustained during Spring Training while preparing to play third base. With Chisholm locked in at second and no available spot elsewhere, the Yankees decided his $22 million remaining contract was not worth the roster inflexibility.
At the time of his release, he was batting .266 with a .674 OPS, two home runs and 12 RBI in 45 games. Reports from Yankees insiders indicated he was not happy with how the situation ended. He had lengthy discussions with manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman before the decision was finalized. The conversations were described as respectful, but the outcome left LeMahieu feeling blindsided by the timing.
Monday’s post suggested that whatever sting remained had softened into something warmer. He left the door open, not to a return, but to the memory of a city and a club that shaped a significant chapter of his career.
What LeMahieu meant to the Yankees
LeMahieu joined the Yankees in 2019 on a two-year, $24 million deal expecting to be a utility infielder. He was projected to move around the infield and provide depth. What followed was one of the better stretch runs by any hitter in franchise history during those first two seasons.
He batted .327 with 26 home runs and 102 RBI in 2019, earned an All-Star selection and finished fourth in AL MVP voting. In 2020, he hit .364 to win the American League batting title, becoming the first player in baseball’s modern era to win a batting title in both leagues. He had previously won the National League title with the Colorado Rockies in 2016.
Riding that form, he signed a six-year, $90 million extension before the 2021 season. It was one of the largest free agent contracts in Yankees history at the time and reflected how dominant he had been in his first two seasons. The contract never lived up to expectations. Injuries, declining range on defense and fading offensive output defined his final three seasons.
Across his full Yankees tenure from 2019 through 2025, LeMahieu played 718 games and batted .278 with 77 home runs, 314 RBI and 115 doubles.
His influence stretched beyond individual numbers. Ryan McMahon, the Yankees’ third baseman in 2026, has been credited with learning from his time working alongside LeMahieu last year in New York. McMahon has been one of the better defensive third basemen in the AL this season, and those who watched the two work together say LeMahieu was quietly central to that development.
Still a free agent, still searching
LeMahieu, who turned 37 in July 2025, remains unsigned as of late April 2026. Since clearing waivers after his release, he has not announced any signing or tryout with another organization. He is a three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner and one of only two players since 1900 to win a batting title in both leagues.
Whether his career continues elsewhere or Monday’s post marks a final public chapter, the message landed exactly with the warmth it was meant to carry. Yankees fans responded in kind.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
