Yankees Rumors: Latest on DJ LeMahieu Free Agency and Masahiro Tanaka's Future

The New York Yankees have two key free-agent questions to address this offseason with DJ LeMahieu and Masahiro Tanaka.

Per Randy Miller of NJ.com, LeMahieu remains New York's "first priority," and he "prefers" to remain with the team.

Miller added: "The Yanks also have interest in keeping Tanaka, but that may not be possible if they re-sign LeMahieu and plan on staying under next season's $210-million luxury tax threshold."

The Yankees are already up against MLB's $210 million competitive balance tax with neither player under contract. Spotrac estimates their tax allocations are currently at $209,709,524 in 2021.

It's been a running theme since the season ended that LeMahieu and the Yankees hope to remain together.

"I think it's no secret that he is probably our No. 1 priority to bring back this winter," manager Aaron Boone told reporters earlier this month. "I know [GM Brian Cashman] is working on that. And hopefully, at the end of all this, DJ is a Yankee for a long time."

The issue seems to be the length and value of the contract. Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reported Dec. 13 there's more than a $25 million difference between what LeMahieu wants and the Yankees' proposal of $75 million over four years.

LeMahieu has finished in the top four of American League MVP voting the past two seasons. The 32-year-old led MLB with a .364 batting average and the AL with a .421 on-base percentage and 1.011 OPS in 2020.

Tanaka didn't receive a qualifying offer from the Yankees, so there won't be any draft compensation attached to him if he signs with another team. The Japanese star has spent his entire seven-year MLB career in New York. He posted a 3.56 ERA in 10 starts last season.