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Jorge Castillo, ESPN Workers Author
NEW YORK — Again in March, the New York Yankees had been resolute that DJ LeMahieu would bat leadoff in entrance of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. They had been assured that the two-time batting champion would rebound from three subpar, injury-plagued seasons.
4 months later, after battling a serious foot damage and virtually each day struggles on the plate, LeMahieu is way from the table-setter the Yankees envisioned. He was on the bench Sunday towards the Tampa Bay Rays, with Oswaldo Cabrera getting the beginning at third base.
LeMahieu, within the fourth yr of a six-year deal price $90 million, has been one of many worst-hitting common gamers within the majors since rejoining the Yankees in late Could and has not too long ago been New York’s No. 9 hitter, on the backside of a lineup determined for regular manufacturing past Soto and Decide.
LeMahieu, 35, entered Sunday batting .177 with a .471 on-base plus slugging proportion in 39 video games.
Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned earlier than Sunday’s recreation that LeMahieu could possibly be out of the lineup subsequent week as properly.
“We’ll see,” Boone mentioned. “Get by means of at the moment, and we’ll see the place we’re at.”
Boone hinted Friday that LeMahieu wouldn’t begin Sunday’s sequence finale. However Boone then mentioned Saturday that he believed LeMahieu has “earned” the appropriate to play by means of a stoop that has lasted two months.
“It sucks. It isn’t enjoyable,” LeMahieu mentioned. “I’ll say our crew’s a particular crew. Exhibiting up with a particular crew, a particular group retains me going, for positive.”
LeMahieu has been even worse over the previous month, slashing .156/.250/.203 with three extra-base hits. The efficiency has drawn scorn from followers who showered him with boos each Friday and Saturday, when he went a mixed 0-for-7 with two strikeouts.
“I imply, it hasn’t given me a lot hope the final month or so,” LeMahieu mentioned. “So long as I’ve performed this recreation, no matter problem has introduced itself, I’ve all the time come out of it, a technique or one other. So it is simply hold exhibiting up and hold working and it is gotten me quite a lot of success in my profession.”
LeMahieu missed the primary month of the season with a fracture in his proper foot after he fouled a pitch off the foot throughout a spring coaching recreation in March. However simply as he has executed since becoming a member of the Yankees, LeMahieu insisted Sunday that he’s wholesome.
“I really feel good,” he mentioned. “I really feel ok to do my job.”
The manufacturing hasn’t been ok for a membership with championship aspirations in a battle for the American League East title with the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees are exploring upgrades at third base, amongst different areas, earlier than the July 30 commerce deadline, in response to league sources.
“I am not going to talk on that,” LeMahieu mentioned. “However I do know I positively need to add as many good gamers as we are able to as a result of, like I mentioned, we acquired a particular group.”
