The New York Yankees have been rotating Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berdi at third base in DJ LeMahieu’s absence. Cabrera has stepped up and provided ample offensive support, notably against the Houston Astros in the first series of the season, but he’s been riding the bench over the past few days with Berdi getting the starts.
Fortunately, the Yankees are preparing to add another piece to the infield, DJ LeMahieu. The 35-year-old veteran suffered a significant bruise on his right foot after fouling a ball off during spring training, knocking him out for a few weeks. The Yankees had placed him on the 10-day injured list, but he is “getting close,” according to manager Aaron Boone.
The Yankees Will Get Better With DJ LeMahieu Back in the Lineup
LeMahieu is coming off a difficult 2023 season, hitting .220/.285/.357 before the All-Star break last year. However, after the Yankees fired Dillon Lawson and brought in Sean Casey to supplement his position for the final half of the campaign, LeMahieu saw a massive increase in production. Post All-Star break, he hit .273/.377/.432, including a .809 OPS with eight homers and 17 RBIs.
While DJ has been trending in the wrong direction offensively over the past few seasons, he’s been a stout third-baseman on the defensive side.
Over 592.2 innings on the hot corner last year, he provided a .994 fielding percentage, three defensive runs saved, and three outs above average. He should slot right back into the lineup without missing a beat. He may not be leading off anymore, with Anthony Volpe stealing his spot. The bottom half of the lineup will get stronger if LeMahieu can offer his upside.
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