Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu put to rest speculations about his phantom IL move by disclosing what actually forced him to a sudden injury rest. According to him, it was a nagging right hip issue that was behind his IL stint.
The 36-year-old received a cortisone injection in his right hip on Thursday to alleviate an impingement that had been bothering him for about two weeks before he was placed on the 15-day injured list on September 9. LeMahieu plans to closely monitor his hip’s response to the treatment and expressed optimism about his chances of returning to the field.
DJ LeMahieu has confirmed that discussions about surgery for his hip issue have not taken place. He described his hip condition as involving complications that affect rotation and movement, with the current treatment focused on alleviating symptoms and enhancing mobility.
LeMahieu noted that the problem affects his batting rotation and varies in intensity, being noticeable during certain workouts and weight training sessions, but not always.
“There’s some stuff going on in the hip there,” he said. “Just trying to clear it up, get that hip moving a little better. It was some of those things where sometimes I was rotating, sometimes I wasn’t. Working out in the weight room and with the trainers and with the training staff, it was there, it wasn’t there. It was there, it wasn’t there.”
When questioned about the return this season, he replied, “Yeah, definitely.”
Manager Aaron Boone, however, tempered expectations. Boone acknowledged that while LeMahieu’s return is not entirely out of the question, he was cautious about expecting it to happen. “I wouldn’t necessarily rule it out, but I wouldn’t count on it, either,” he said.
With LeMahieu’s IL stint backdated to September 6, the earliest he could potentially be activated is September 21.
Despite the uncertainty, LeMahieu remained positive about the team’s prospects, expressing his enthusiasm for the upcoming month and a half. He praised his teammates and conveyed excitement about the team’s future.
“I love this group of guys,” he said. “I really think this is going to be a really fun next month and a half.”
LeMahieu’s 2024 fails to boost Yankees
This season, LeMahieu’s performance has fallen short of his usual standards. He has a .204 batting average with two home runs, 26 RBIs, and a .527 OPS in 67 games. The three-time All-Star and two-time batting champion acknowledged that this downturn has been challenging.
Injuries have plagued LeMahieu in recent years. He started the season on the injured list due to a foot bruise from a foul ball in spring training, delaying his debut until May 28. He also struggled with right second-toe inflammation in late 2022, which kept him out for most of September and off the playoff roster.
Since leading the American League with a .364 batting average in the shortened 2020 season, LeMahieu’s performance has declined, with a .270 average and .720 OPS over 411 games.
When LeMahieu was placed on the IL, the Yankees called up promising outfield prospect Jasson Domínguez. Looking ahead, the Yankees are committed to LeMahieu financially, with $30 million owed to him for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
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