DJ LeMahieu, mired in a prolonged slump, has seen his batting average drop to .236 as his promising start has faded further into the rearview, and the 34-year-old looks more like the player he was in the second half of last season, when a toe injury sapped him of his power and removed him from the playoff equation.
For Keith, LeMahieu’s offensive slide has gone on long enough to wonder if the veteran simply doesn’t have the durability to be an everyday player anymore.
“He is not the same player when he came here those first two years,” Keith said. “With this rotation he’s in, he’ll spell Rizzo at first, Gleyber at second, and Josh Donaldson at third. That’s a lot, to have to play thee positions. He can do it, he won a Gold Glove as a utility guy, but we need him to be effective at the plate. He can’t be an everyday player. He’ll be 35 this season.”
LeMahieu, who turns 35 next month, still has four years left on his six-year, $90 million contract, and Keith believes he already needs to transition into a lighter role to try and preserve his offensive ability.
“He can’t play every day and be effective,” Keith said. “DJ is a little bit older.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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