While some of his peers try to negotiate a new CBA with MLB owners, DJ LeMahieu has been working out in Tampa with a group of fellow major leaguers who are locked out of their typical practice facilities.
But LeMahieu told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he believes he will be allowed back into the Yankee facilities soon, even if it feels like a deal is far off.
“I’m optimistic,” LeMahieu told Topkin. “I mean, it sounds like we’re far away. But I really don’t think we’re that far away.
“In 2020 it was much different. We were trying to get on the field, and we didn’t really know what was going on. It was kind of disorganized.”
Negotiations two years ago, when the league was returning from a shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dragged on as the league and its players lost an opportunity to be the only show in town, instead settling for a late July restart. Now, a new CBA must be agreed upon, with the league setting a deadline of Feb. 28 before regular season games are to be canceled. With so much ground to cover, from the competitive balance tax to minimum salaries and anti-tanking measures, it seems farfetched that a deal could get done by then.
“It would suck, just suck,” LeMahieu said of potentially losing regular season games. “I trust the union. I trust our leadership among the players. I think they’ve done a really good job so far.”
LeMahieu is eager to get back on the field and bounce back from a mediocre 2021 campaign after two brilliant seasons to start his Yankee tenure. That may have to wait if the two sides can’t come to a deal, but LeMahieu commends the job his peers have done so far.
“I feel like going into this year, the players union has done a really good job,” LeMahieu said. “Obviously we want to get on the field and play baseball.”
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
