As the days, weeks and months dwindled from the calendar, with November turning into December and December advancing into January and Spring Training encroaching on the uncertain scene, the Yankees waited and DJ LeMahieu waited. Despite the stalemate, I never thought the two sides would divorce from each other and they didn’t. LeMahieu has returned to the Yankees on a six-year, $90 million deal.

While the Yankees have not officially announced the signing, the YES Network has confirmed reports from MLB.com and ESPN about the contents of the contract.

During this most sluggish of offseasons, LeMahieu and the Yankees had specific goals so the discussions stagnated as they tried to devise a way to ensure this marriage would continue. LeMahieu ended up getting the guaranteed $90 million that he wanted, while the Yankees stretched the deal to six years, enabling them to benefit from paying their best player an average annual value of $15 million.

From conversations with multiple people who were involved in the negotiations, it was abundantly clear that the Yankees really wanted to sign LeMahieu and that he really wanted to remain with the Yankees. But this was a process. Anyone who shouted from the highest mountaintop about rushing to sign LeMahieu to whatever he wanted doesn’t understand the art of negotiating. Especially in this offseason. Especially after a depressing and distressing 2020.

Of course, the Yankees valued LeMahieu. He has finished top four in MVP voting in the last two years; he consistently hits the ball as hard as anyone in the lineup not named Giancarlo Stanton or Aaron Judge, and he hits the ball to all fields -- a lost art and a skill that prevents teams from shifting against him. In his two years with the Yankees, LeMahieu has never faced one defensive shift.

“I wish more guys would hit like LeMahieu,” former Yankee Paul O’Neill has said.

After some impatience in Yankeeland, there has been an injection of serenity because manager Aaron Boone now knows who will be leading off for him when the Yankees play their first game in 2021. And LeMahieu will probably lead off about 150 times, challenge for a batting title and show the kind of bat-to-ball skills that have led to the wonderful and appropriate nickname of “The Machine.”

Initially, the Yankees were hoping to land LeMahieu on a three or four-year deal, but it took a clever six-year contract to satisfy the versatile infielder and to satisfy the Yankees. Since LeMahieu turns 33 in July, the Yankees have signed him through 2026 when he will be 39. Although that might be a concern for some players, LeMahieu isn’t a power hitter with a long swing. He’s a contact hitter with quick hands, and it’s easy to envision him still spraying baseballs to all fields as a 39-year old.

Since LeMahieu will only cost the Yankees $15 million a year, a modest raise over the $12 million he made the last two years, general manager Brian Cashman has a bit more financial flexibility to add pitching. If the Yankees stay under the $210 million luxury tax threshold, which seems to be their unstated goal, that would leave Cashman with about $20 million to strengthen the rotation or the bullpen.

The Yankees attended Corey Kluber’s audition Wednesday and have interest in the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who has pitched only 36 2/3 innings the last two seasons because of injuries. Masahiro Tanaka would love to return to the Yankees, but he would have to accept a team-friendly deal. Meanwhile, Cashman will continue to engage with teams to see if he can engineer a trade for some quality pitching.

Whatever happens next for the Yankees, they can exhale today: The DJ is back in the house.