After playing another season in Cleveland, Hemsley was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds for a second stint on December 4, 1941. He was a disappointing stint with the Reds, playing 36 games and ending with a batting average of only .113, and was released by the Reds on July 17 as a result. However, two days later he was signed to a contract by the New York Yankees. His signing by the Yankees came when starter Bill Dickey went down with a shoulder injury. When Dickey's backup, Buddy Rosar, left the team without permission to take examinations to join the Buffalo police force and, to be with his wife who was about to have a baby, Yankees manager Joe McCarthy signed Hemsley to be the second string catcher, relegating Rosar to the third string position. Hemsley hit safely in his first six games as a Yankee, and raised his average back to nearly .200 by season's end. He served the 1943 season as a backup to Dickey as the Yankees won the 1943 World Series. Hemsley played well in 1944 for the Yankees. Despite only playing in 81 games that season, he received a few MVP votes and made it to his 5th All-Star game. He left the team mid-season to join the U.S. Navy. He did not play during the 1945 season but he was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies on March 25, 1946. After backing up Andy Seminick for a season, he was released, only to be re-signed again by the Phillies. He only played in two games during the 1947 season before being released and retired at the age of 40.