Yankees Provide Update on Rehab Plan for Injured All-Star

DJ LeMahieu’s return to Yankee Stadium is still likely a month or more away, but the team at least has a better idea of when the 36-year-old will begin baseball activities. 

Speaking with reporters on Thursday afternoon, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said LeMahieu will soon be able to “start that clock” on working his way back into the lineup. 

“He’s probably about a week away from heading out to start getting live at-bats,” Boone said. 

DJ LeMahieu Likely to Need ‘A Pretty Big Buildup’ to Get Back Into Game Shape

That will be an early step in the process, Boone stressed, stating that LeMahieu will need a good chunk of time to get himself back into playing shape. 

“It will be probably a pretty big buildup,” Boone said. “I’d want him to have kind of a spring training, really.” 

A three-time All-Star, LeMahieu suffered a calf injury during the Yankees’ 9-3 win over Houston in a spring training game on March 1. The veteran infielder said he felt a “tweak” in his left calf running to first base after popping the ball up to second base. LeMahieu was eventually diagnosed with a strained calf and placed on the injured list to open the season. 

“Obviously frustrating for him,” Boone said after the injury occurred. “But we’ll do the best we can to get it right.” 

DJ LeMahieu Was Slowed by Injuries in 2024

GettyNew York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu is trying to work his way back from a left calf injury.

It was yet another health setback for LeMahieu after an injury-plagued 2024 season in which he was limited to just 67 games due to foot and hip issues. Even when available, he struggled at the plate, slashing a meager .204/.269/.259 with two home runs in 228 plate appearances.  

His offensive decline was underscored by career-low marks in average exit velocity and hard-hit rate, while his 56.4% ground-ball rate ranked as the second-highest of his career and sixth-highest in MLB (minimum 220 plate appearances). Given his sprint speed ranked in the 20th percentile among big league position players, that batted-ball profile is a concerning trend. 

The Yankees originally signed LeMahieu to a two-year, $24 million contract in the 2018-19 offseason, a move that quickly became one of their most successful free-agent acquisitions in recent memory. Over those two seasons, he posted a stellar .336/.386/.536 line, earning back-to-back top-four finishes in MVP voting.  

That success prompted New York to bring him back on a six-year, $90 million deal, spreading out the salary to mitigate luxury tax concerns rather than concentrating it over a shorter term. While LeMahieu never rediscovered his 2019-20 peak, he remained a reliable and versatile piece from 2021-23, batting .258/.345/.375 while providing solid defense across first base, second base, and third base. 

Entering spring training, LeMahieu was expected to be the starter at third base for the Yankees. In his absence, Oswaldo Cabrera has played the bulk of the innings there, but he has struggled at the plate, with just three hits in his first 15 at-bats. 

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