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In the midst of a lengthy MLB lockout, and with the Yankees still having a roster that needs considerable tweaking before it can be considered better than it was at the end of last season, it’s easy to forget that a year ago at this time, all the Bombers wanted to do was re-sign DJ LeMahieu.

Aaron Boone called bringing back LeMahieu “probably our No. 1 priority” prior to the completion of the six-year, $90 million deal LeMahieu and the team eventually agreed upon. With LeMahieu back, it was hoped that he would partner with Gleyber Torres at shortstop to form a middle of the infield the team could depend on for years to come.

But after a 2021 that saw LeMahieu produce his worst season in New York, and Torres unable to stick at short, the Yankees have more questions about their middle infield than they did at this time last year.