The first few months of 2024 have gone pretty well for the Yankees, but one figure who has not seen such fortune is DJ LeMahieu. Throughout the offseason, the 13-year veteran appeared to be ready to play a role on this team until the home stretch of spring training. He fouled a ball off his foot, and the injury lingered long enough to put him on the IL just before Opening Day ... and then to delay his rehab assignment ... and then to cut said rehab assignment short on Day 1.
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The rehab setback on April 23rd led to more rest for LeMahieu before the Yankees felt comfortable sending him back out on the road back. This time, he successfully played in six minor-league games from May 17th through the 26th, and now, LeMahieu is ready to go. As expected, the Yankees have officially activated him from the 60-day IL and he will start at third base tonight in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. The roster casualty is Kevin Smith, who was briefly up when Jon Berti went down with a calf strain on Friday in San Diego.
Currently on a 19-game hitting streak, Anthony Volpe has capably assumed LeMahieu’s old leadoff position, so the infielder will bat ninth for the first time since March 2019, during his initial couple games in pinstripes. LeMahieu has gone through the ringer in that time, exceeding expectations to become an MVP candidate in 2019-20 before falling back in recent seasons upon signing a six-year deal to return to the Yankees in January 2021.
Aside from the first half of 2022 (prior to a painful foot injury), the former batting champion hasn’t been the same hitter as the All-Star days. But on the whole, LeMahieu has been a 101 OPS+ guy in 411 games from 2021-23. He’s under contract through 2026, so the Yankees were always going to give him some run to see if he can hold down third base. Oswaldo Cabrera has had hot stretches at points early in 2024, but the overall 82 OPS+ isn’t going to cut it. The current Yankees don’t need LeMahieu to be his peak form; the pressure thankfully isn’t high on him with superior boppers in the lineup like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. As long as the 2022 Gold Glove winner makes his plays in the field and remains a steady contributor at the dish, then they’ll appreciate what he brings to the table.
Also of note in that transaction above is that Ian Hamilton is back in the Yankees’ bullpen. The righty was great in the first few weeks of April before falling off a bit in May, and he’s been on the COVID-IL since May 20th.
Hamilton is essentially taking the roster spot of Nick Burdi, who recently hit the IL with a recurrence of the hip inflammation that plagued him earlier in 2024. Triple-A starter Yoendrys Gómez filled in for a few days and pitched an inning in San Diego before being optioned on Sunday. The Yankees’ relief options outside of Clay Holmes and Luke Weaver have been suspect and Tommy Kahnle is fresh off the IL himself, so Aaron Boone will appreciate having Hamilton back.
