Yankees to Activate LeMahieu Tuesday, But Don’t Expect Him Every Day
The Yankees will activate DJ LeMahieu on Tuesday with plans to start him Wednesday, giving the veteran infielder his first taste of the 2024 season after being sidelined with a nagging calf injury since spring training.
Manager Aaron Boone made it clear that despite the team’s current injury situation, the 36-year-old won’t immediately slot into an everyday role.
“I don’t necessarily see every day, but we’ll see how he’s doing and how he navigates it,” Boone told the New York Post. “But I definitely see him as a piece of the puzzle.”
LeMahieu’s return comes at an interesting time for the Yankees. With Jazz Chisholm Jr. currently on the shelf, there’s a natural opening at second base where LeMahieu will likely spend most of his time. The original plan heading into the season appeared to involve LeMahieu platooning at third with Oswaldo Cabrera, but his extended absence forced a reshuffling of the infield deck.
Cabrera hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire offensively, but Boone’s hesitation to commit to LeMahieu as an everyday player speaks volumes about the team’s assessment of his durability. It’s a far cry from the player who arrived in the Bronx as a marquee free agent.
What makes this situation particularly telling is that even with Chisholm unavailable, the Yankees aren’t planning to hand LeMahieu the keys to second base full-time. That’s where things get interesting – the team could still explore adding a third baseman via trade, potentially relegating both LeMahieu and Cabrera to utility roles once Chisholm returns.
Let’s put it this way: LeMahieu’s resume speaks for itself – a three-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glover, two-time Silver Slugger and two-time batting champion. But that’s not the player the Yankees are getting anymore. Over the past two seasons, he’s hit just .232 with a modest .663 OPS, a significant decline from his earlier production.
The Yankees are clearly taking a cautious approach with LeMahieu, hoping he can contribute in a more limited role while avoiding the injuries that have hampered him in recent seasons. How he performs in those initial appearances could determine whether his role expands or remains carefully managed throughout the summer.
