It’s time for Dodgers to announce themselves in DJ LeMahieu chase

The Dodgers’ chief rivals have asserted themselves in the DJ LeMahieu chase.

Thus far, the DJ LeMahieu market is playing out exactly as we envisioned it, except one supposed suitor remains silent: the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Since the season ended, the New York Yankees have said all the right things about retaining their team MVP. He’s their “top priority,” as well as their sole focus early in the offseason. But they’ve leaked all the wrong things.

Someone made it known that the sides are currently over $25 million apart, and remain in disagreement on the contract’s length. Another party leaked LeMahieu’s recent ask, claiming it’s $25 million above even the high-end rumored projections (wonder who did that?). Though the two sides seem interested in a reunion, desire and finality aren’t the same thing.

Both the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets have both taken advantage of this impasse, with the Mets becoming the latest rumored suitor to officially contact LeMahieu midway through this week. That just leaves the Dodgers, and it’s time for them to announce, through some league mouthpiece, that they’ve also entered the chase.

LeMahieu would represent, at this point, a large allocation of dollars that perhaps the Dodgers don’t want to muster.

After all, at every turn, they’ve willingly divulged a Justin Turner sound bite, and haven’t been asked about a secondary LeMahieu pursuit in months.

But in terms of contenders that can afford his services, it really just boils down to the Dodgers, Mets and Blue Jays. And while it’s entirely unknown if any or all of them are willing to entertain the possibility of a fifth year, LeMahieu would come cheaper than Nolan Arenado and would offer more versatility than Turner, though a Corey Seager extension and position change would complicate things.

We’re not going to tell the Dodgers how to allocate their money, but this is a chase they’ve been rumored to be a part of since the offseason began.

The other two contenders for LeMahieu’s services have made contact. Now it’s time for Los Angeles to at least dip their toes into the pool.

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