DJ LeMahieu, sidelined since spring training with a left calf strain, could be back in the New York Yankees lineup as soon as this weekend, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters.
The veteran is making strides in his rehabilitation and could rejoin the Yankees during their upcoming West Coast trip, Boone said. He added that LeMahieu's return is contingent on his continued progress in this week's minor league games.
LeMahieu's rehab has included stints at Double-A Somerset, where he showed he's close by batting .600 with a home run and three RBIs in his initial games. However, a recent cortisone injection in his right hip temporarily paused his progress, though Boone described the procedure as "preemptive" and not a significant setback.
The timing of LeMahieu's potential return is crucial for the Yankees, who are currently dealing with a depleted infield.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was recently placed on the 10-day injured list with a high-grade oblique strain, which is expected to sideline him for 4-6 weeks. In Chisholm's absence, LeMahieu's versatility becomes even more valuable, with second base being a likely position upon his return.
LeMahieu's presence could provide much-needed stability to the Yankees' infield, which has seen a rotation of players like Oswald Peraza, Pablo Reyes, and Jorbit Vivas filling in.
While Oswaldo Cabrera has performed admirably at third base, LeMahieu's experience and right-handed bat, especially with Giancarlo Stanton still out with tendinitis in both elbows, give Boone more balance and flexibility.
A two-time batting title champion, LeMahieu has appeared in 203 games, slashing .232/.311/.352 with 17 home runs and 70 RBIs over the last two seasons. That works out to an 84 OPS+, well below league average.
His struggles and injuries have raised questions about his future with the team.
LeMahieu is in the fifth year of a six-year, $90 million contract signed in 2021. With one year left after this season, the Yankees need to get some production from him.
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New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone responded Sunday, one day after Alex Rodriguez suggested his team lacks discipline and accountability. On FOX’s MLB pregame show Saturday, Rodriguez questioned the “accountability” of the Yankees after Boone did not pull Jazz Chisholm from Saturday’s loss to Miami after the infielder made a brutal baserunning blunder. Rodriguez suggested that the Yankees do not face consequences for such mistakes, and that it has contributed to further errors. “If any one of us made a mistake, we would be sitting our butt right on the bench,” Rodriguez said. “I see mistake after mistake, and there’s no consequences.” Boone took issue with those remarks when asked about them on Sunday. He said he accepts that the Yankees will always face added scrutiny, but that he disagreed with the substance of Rodriguez’s remarks. “I would disagree a little bit with the accountability factor, but the reality is, we’re focused every day on being the best we can be,” Boone said, via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “That’s how we have to do it. But I understand when it doesn’t happen, or we don’t have the record that I think we should have, or certainly people think we should have — that comes with the territory.” Boone is known for keeping things positive publicly, even when things are going poorly for the Yankees. That has led to some criticism from fans, who feel that he goes too easy on his players when they are underperforming. The team’s recent stretch of mediocre play combined with a lack of consequences for errors like Chisholm’s have reinforced those critiques. The Yankees lost again on Sunday and were swept by the Marlins, dropping them to 60-51 on the season. Until the team starts consistently winning again, Boone is going to hear more comments like Rodriguez’s.
Adam Peters is still trying to put together an acceptable contract offer that works for wide receiver Terry McLaurin. But the Washington Commanders general manager has some crucial roster decisions upcoming with final cuts on the not-too-distant horizon. Training camp is in full swing. Preseason games and joint practices are upcoming, which represent a good measuring stick for the Commanders to determine the fate of some who have their respective futures hanging in the balance. There will be no sentiment whatsoever attached to the team's decision-making process. And for one multi-purpose weapon, his status is becoming increasingly precarious. Kazmeir Allen could be the odd man out in Commanders' offensive dynamic The competition for places is fierce. This bears more significance in the running back room, although Peters didn't do much to fortify the unit during a busy second recruitment period at the helm. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler will lead the charge. They have experience and proven production, but they will both need to improve to get new deals from the franchise next spring. And then, there's the presence of seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to factor into the equation. Croskey-Merritt has blazed a trail from the moment he joined the organization. He's flashed exceptional promise, which could lead to rotational involvement right out of the gate if he passes some difficult upcoming tests with flying colors. That doesn't bode well for anyone else looking to make the roster. Kazmeir Allen is among them, but it's looking unlikely that the dual-threat out of UCLA is going to find his name on the final 53-man squad. Allen has versatility. He can play at running back or wide receiver with minimal fuss. The elusive former undrafted free agent is also a dynamic kick returner. Unfortunately, the Commanders have a few others capable of picking up the slack in that regard. Ekeler, Jaylin Lane, Luke McCaffrey, Jeremy McNichols, and even Deebo Samuel Sr. have all been getting looks in the return game at training camp. Allen won't be giving up without a fight, but it's clear that he's further down the pecking order than ever before. There's a chance Allen can stick around on the practice squad, as he's done for the last couple of years. That represents the best-case scenario. A bold yet attainable objective for the third-year pro, even though he'd probably like something more substantial. How Allen performs in the preseason will ultimately determine his fate. But from the outside looking in, he faces a significant fight to change the narrative. More Commanders news and analysis
It's feeling like 2012 all over again. SummerSlam 2025 ended with shock and nostalgia when Brock Lesnar returned unannounced and dropped John Cena with a thunderous F5, just as Cena was addressing the crowd during his retirement tour. The moment felt poetic, mirroring the night after WrestleMania 28 in 2012, when Lesnar returned to WWE for the first time in eight years and F5’d Cena, launching a brutal and unforgettable rivalry. This attack wasn’t just for show. With Cena’s farewell tour expected to end in December, the timing of Lesnar’s return feels intentional. WWE is known for delivering emotional, high-stakes finales for its legends and this could be the setup for one last epic clash between two of the most iconic figures in company history. Their rivalry has always delivered, from their battles in 2012–14 to the infamous “Suplex City” beatdown at SummerSlam 2014. Now, with both men nearing the end of their in-ring careers, fans may be getting a final chapter in this storied feud. Whether it culminates at the Royal Rumble or on the grandest stage of them all at WrestleMania 41, the anticipation is real. Lesnar has been off WWE TV for nearly a year, making this return even more impactful. For Cena, who has been embracing his final run with open arms, a showdown with Lesnar is a fitting, full-circle moment. It’s the kind of storytelling WWE thrives on — legacy vs. legacy, pride vs. redemption.
Armed with the gigantic task of holding the fort while Aaron Judge recovers from an elbow injury, the New York Yankees made a mess of themselves in a big way this past weekend in a three-game series against the Miami Marlins. On Sunday, the Yankees were thoroughly outplayed by the Marlins on all sides of the ball, suffering a 7-3 defeat and a series sweep at the hands of the Marlins. Now, it’s not like the Marlins have a bad baseball team. They are hovering around .500 on the season, so it’s not like the Yankees were that heavily favored heading into the series especially amid Judge’s injury. However, this is a continuation of the Yankees’ poor play as of late, and they have now fallen to third place in the AL East standings. For first baseman Ben Rice, the team has to wake up from this rut they’re in lest bigger consequences happen later in the season. “I wouldn’t say there’s concern, but I would say, I think a little sense of urgency would be good for us going forward. Just to continue do what we can to win ballgames. And that’s gonna be do all the little things. It’s gonna be, hopefully, we sync up pitching and hitting. That’s it,” Rice told reporters after the Yankees’ loss, via YES Network. “No, I wouldn’t say that [we lack a sense of urgency]. But I would say, as we continue to move deeper into the season here, in this playoff race, we’re gonna have to pick it up eventually.” Poor pitching was what undid the Yankees most often during the month of July, and in August thus far, they haven’t put it together on either side of the ball at the same time. Yankees are running hot and cold on both ends of the ball As Rice said, the Yankees are going to have to sync their hitting and pitching to avoid suffering the same fate they did in that three-game series against the Marlins. That Saturday loss to the Marlins might be the Yankees’ most frustrating of the year, mustering just two hits and no runs — an uncharacteristic showing for the team that’s tied for the lead in total runs scored in all of MLB. They have no choice but to soldier on, heading into a three-game set against the Texas Rangers next before yet another crucial series, this time against a division leader in the Houston Astros.
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