New York Yankees fans can breathe a sigh of relief. Second baseman DJ LeMahieu is expected to re-sign with the club, erasing concerns that he might head elsewhere in free agency.

An agreement between the Yankees and LeMahieu could be finalized Friday, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. Earlier this week, LeMahieu began speaking with other teams because New York was not meeting his asking price, Yahoo Sports reported.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets had both shown interest in LeMahieu.

Had LeMahieu gone to another team, it would’ve been a devastating loss for the Yankees. The infielder has been the team’s best player since joining them for the 2019 season, during which he was an All-Star. In the 2020 season, he became the first player in the modern era to win the batting title in both leagues.

There was no 2020 All-Star Game because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Mets couldn’t lure LeMahieu to the other side of town, but they might end up having the best offseason of any team in baseball. New owner Steve Cohen has already approved a blockbuster trade to acquire Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco. The team has a good chance of adding at least one more All-Star for the 2021 season.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Friday morning that the Mets are nearing an agreement with reliever Brad Hand. Rosenthal has since clarified the report, noting that other suitors are still in the mix, though the Mets are still the favorites to land Hand.

The Mets have been linked to Hand for a few weeks. The reliever made the All-Star team each year from 2017-2019. Hand posted a career-low 2.05 ERA in 22 innings last season, and he led the league with 16 saves.

The Mets are considered to be the frontrunners to sign outfielder George Springer, arguably the No.1 player in the 2021 MLB free agent class.

DJ LeMahieu New York Yankees
DJ LeMahieu #26 of the New York Yankees plays at Citi Field on Sept. 3, 2020, in the Queens borough of New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images
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