New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu injured his left calf in his Spring Training debut. Serving as the designated hitter, LeMahieu sustained the injury on Saturday during his second at-bat in the Yankees’ 9-3 victory over the Houston Astros.
Boone addresses LeMahieu’s injury
“That’s not ideal, considering everything he has already dealt with,” manager Aaron Boone told reporters. “We’ll see what we have here and assess the severity of the injury. These soft tissue issues have popped up for him, so there is some concern.”
This is the latest in a series of injuries for the 36-year-old LeMahieu, who ended last season on the injured list with a right hip issue. Before that, he missed the first few months of the season after fracturing his right foot on a foul ball during Spring Training.
These injuries limited LeMahieu to just 67 games last season, during which he posted the worst offensive numbers of his career, hitting .204 with only two home runs and 26 RBIs.
With two years remaining on the six-year, $90 million contract he signed in 2021, LeMahieu was the frontrunner to be the Yankees’ everyday third baseman. If the injury keeps him out for an extended period, the team will need Oswaldo Cabrera or Oswald Peraza to step up and fill the gap.
Yankees’ roster moves and Stanton’s Injury
LeMahieu’s injury was confirmed before the Yankees’ 11-1 loss on Sunday and a day after the team cut six players and confirmed that Giancarlo Stanton will miss the start of the season.
On Saturday, the Yankees announced that Stanton will begin the 2025 season on the injured list. His absence was already expected, as he has been unable to participate in Spring Training due to tendinitis in both elbows.
Last week, Stanton left Spring Training camp in Tampa for additional medical evaluations with team doctors in New York. The Yankees revealed that he received platelet-rich plasma injections in both elbows in an attempt to speed up the healing process.
Before that, the 16-year veteran disclosed that he hadn’t swung a bat in a month due to elbow pain and explained that he has been dealing with the issue since last season.
Manager Aaron Boone said the decision was made because Stanton won’t have enough time to be ready for Opening Day. Additionally, his absence means other players need to be prepared to replace him as the designated hitter.
“We’re running out of time,” Boone told the New York Post. “The most important thing is making sure he’s fully recovered. If that costs us a few games early on, so be it. I feel confident we’ll get to a good place with this. It’s a long season.”
Yankees’ DH and outfield options
While Stanton is on the injured list, Aaron Judge could see more time at DH, allowing Trent Grisham to play center field and Cody Bellinger to move to right. Jasson Domínguez is expected to start the season in left field.
The Yankees may also give most of the DH at-bats to Ben Rice against right-handed pitching. Rice hit his first Spring Training home run on Saturday in the Yankees’ 9-3 win over the Astros. Last season, six of his seven home runs came against right-handed pitchers.
Other options in camp include outfielder Everson Pereira, catcher/infielder J.C. Escarra, and veteran first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith, who hit 22 doubles and six home runs last season while playing for the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds.
Another possibility is seeking external help for the DH role. The Yankees have reportedly been in contact with J.D. Martinez, who hit .235 with a .725 OPS, 16 home runs, 24 doubles, and 69 RBIs last season for the Mets.
Each of these options would be less productive than Stanton, who hit .233 with a .773 OPS, 27 home runs, 20 doubles, and 72 RBIs in 114 games last year. He also made a significant impact in the postseason, hitting seven home runs with a 1.048 OPS. However, that becomes irrelevant while he remains injured.
Additionally, on Saturday, before the game, the Yankees announced the reassignment of six players to minor league camp: pitchers Sean Boyle, Chase Hampton, Cristian Hernández, Jayvien Sandridge, and Kevin Stevens, along with outfielder Brennen Davis.
The Yankees will open the 2025 MLB season at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27.
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