Dodgers: Previous Giancarlo Stanton connection with Yankees could determine DJ LeMahieu chase

Could the Dodgers land DJ LeMahieu because of what happened with Giancarlo Stanton?

New York Yankees fans are begging for the team to bring back DJ LeMahieu under any circumstance. They cannot wait any longer. It’s eating them alive, especially since the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers are the other teams reportedly linked to the MVP finalist.

And we keep hearing about the Dodgers’ connection for a few reasons. Justin Turner is no lock to return for 2021 and Corey Seager could be gone after 2021. That would give LA two big holes in their infield. On top of that, it’s unclear if Gavin Lux is the premier talent the Dodgers were expecting him to be.

Perhaps many forgot about Los Angeles’ favorable financial situation after the 2022 season, which takes us down memory lane in regards to how the LeMahieu sweepsakes could work out in the champs’ favor.

Here’s what Joel Sherman of the New York Post had to say about it:

“LeMahieu’s non-Yankee suitors look a lot like those of Bauer — Mets, Blue Jays and ‘watch the Dodgers.’“After the 2017 season, the Dodgers seriously pursued Giancarlo Stanton, whose first choice was to return home to Southern California. But the Dodgers wanted greater salary relief from the 10 years at $295 million remaining than the Yankees did. The Marlins were looking to get rid of as much of what Stanton was owed as possible. It is one of the most important sliding doors moments in modern baseball. If the Dodgers land Stanton, do they not add Betts, for example? If the Yankees don’t get Stanton, do they have a different roster/financial flexibility that, among other items, makes re-signing LeMahieu easier?“Key questions: Are the Yankees waiting to find out what price they have to beat because they are re-signing LeMahieu regardless of cost, or do the Yanks — with the intention of going under the $210 million luxury-tax threshold — have a limit? If it is the latter, could the Dodgers step in? Has LeMahieu grown disenchanted/disrespected enough with the process that he will leave a place he likes? If so, the Dodgers offer the professional, winning environment that made him so enjoy his Yankee time.”

Just think about that for a second. If the Dodgers trade for Giancarlo Stanton three years ago, they probably don’t get Mookie Betts and would have found themselves in a very difficult situation with no designated hitter in the NL yet. Instead, the Yankees have Stanton and their financial situation could hinder the negotiations with LeMahieu, who wasn’t supposed to become such an essential part of their operation back when he was signed to a two-year, $24 million deal prior to the 2019 season.

Now, the Dodgers could end up winning both scenarios. They avoided Stanton and landed Betts, and potentially have the opportunity to pick up LeMahieu (atop his game) in order to fill other roster voids.

The reigning World Series champs are far from done making momentous moves this offseason.

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