AUG. 17: The Yankees expect LeMahieu to miss two to three weeks, manager Aaron Boone told Hoch and other reporters.
AUG. 16, 3:05pm: LeMahieu will receive a second opinion on his hand tomorrow, reports Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, who adds that LeMahieu will visit the same specialist who treated him for a similar injury in 2018. As of now, there’s no timetable for LeMahieu’s return, though the Yankees are confident that the sprain will not require surgery.
11:34am: The Yankees announced they’ve placed DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list with a left thumb sprain. Miguel Andújar has been recalled from the alternate training site to replace him on the active roster.
LeMahieu was removed from last night’s game against the Red Sox. While x-rays came back negative, manager Aaron Boone acknowledged then an IL stint was a possibility. That’s evidently come to pass. LeMahieu has been a big part of the Yankees’ AL East leading 14-6 start. He’s hitting .411/.456/.534 (177 wRC+) over 79 plate appearances, more than doubling down on his breakout 2019 season, in which he hit .327/.375/.518 en route to a 4th-place finish in AL MVP balloting.
The Yankees didn’t announce a timetable for his potential return, but the hope is today’s move is merely out of an abundance of caution. After all, New York sits in prime postseason position already and surely wants LeMahieu at full strength for the stretch run. An impending free agent, the 32-year-old no doubt is targeting a healthy, productive finish to the season himself.
Andújar was seemingly a victim of a roster crunch when he was optioned ten days ago. The 25-year-old was highly productive as a rookie (at least offensively) in 2018, but he’s since been passed at the hot corner through little fault of his own by Gio Urshela. It’s seemingly still questionable whether he’ll find everyday run, given that he won’t be seen as an option to replace LeMahieu at the keystone. That role figures to be handled by Tyler Wade and/or Thairo Estrada.
The injuries just will not stop, not for the Yankees or for MLB.
A lot of it is just they put you on the IL for everything now. Judge was a bit sore and got put on the 10 day. I’m a firm believer that you have to work through certain things or you body never learns to adjust.
I mean who hasn’t had a sore thumb in baseball or a strained calf. I feel like if you have a hard workout and come back sore that’s enough to get you on the il now.
Lollygaggers!
This is why they need to go back to the 15 day next year.
Every team gets injuries. The Yankees just have a lot more stars on their team than most other teams, so it makes it seem like they get screwed with injuries more than others.
I feel like the Yankees have so much offense that they are just being super careful. Who but the Yankees can lose Stanton and Judge, and then call up Frazier who totally rakes, and who wasn’t even on the roster before. Crazy how loaded they are…
Look’s like Tyler Wade, Thairo Estrada & Matt Duffy will have to hold the fort till D.J gets better. Worried, but I’d rather lose him now then later.
Frazier for Frazier swap. Clint for Adam.
If Frazier of the Clint type is traded, it will eventually be for pitching. More likely, he’s the starting LFer for the Yankees in 2021. The baseball version of Father Time will soon tap Brett Gardner on the shoulder, if he hasn’t already.
Spot on. They need to make trades where they absorb $$$ rather than give up talent at the level of Andujar or Frazier.
You can count the number of games they have to win for #28. You can literally buy 5 guys at $1Mm per and only need 5 innings a piece from them. Rotate them through the 40 / 60 man rosters and win a WS.
@mlb1225- yeah maybe with Joe Musgrove after he comes off the IL
Everyone is blaming the short Spring/Summer training for the rash of injuries, but these injuries are not unique to 2020. Yanks went through same or worse in 2019. Seems like MLB players in general just get injured a lot more often than they used to. I don’t believe it is a 2020 thing at all.
I agree as far as position players go. I do believe the short summer camp has led to a spike in significant pitcher injuries.
Huh, I could have sworn Gio Urshela could fill in at 2B or SS. Then they could slot Andujar in at 3B until/unless he proves incapable of manning the position. Still, would be a good thing to know!
If I’m the Yankees I’m done making deals with Pittsburgh. You had your chance a few years ago to get Clint Frazier in a package for Cole.
I disagree. Remember Doc Medich to Pittsburgh in a package including Willie Randolph. One of the great and underrated trades in Yankee History.
In past 20 years, Yankees have not won any trades with the Pirates.
Wilson they flipped for Cessa and Chad Green.
Wilson was flipped for Cessa and Green
@mlbnyyfan- not sure bro. I would trade Andujar for a healthy Joe Musgrove.
Exactly my thoughts, Andrew. Start game with this lineup, with Wade in wings. Betcha we are correct!
@andrewyf- not taken Gio off of 3rd he is so solid there. Don’t laugh but I wouldn’t mind trying Andujar at 2nd base though. He might play better there then at 3rd base. It’s closer then 3rd. You never know.
Andujar has neither the range nor the footwork to man second base…..and that underhanded ad looping throw of his might actually work given the shorter distance but …oh man could you imagine him trying to turn a double play on anybody……
As a RS fan he is a HUGE loss, too bad cuz he’s a terrific player in all areas.
He reminded a lot of prime Dustin Pedroia last year. DJ is just not as vocal.
Brian Dozier?
It’s crazy that the Yankees since the start of 2019 keep losing All-Star-caliber players, but barely miss a beat because they have crazy depth. Frazier and Andujar weren’t sent to the alternate site (really MLB, come up with a better name) because they couldn’t play. They both carry impact bats. There was simply no room at the inn. Eventually, there will be room. Both are back. Frazier may never leave again,
…taking over LF permanently by 2021.
I’d hate to say it but he’s blocked by Stanton and Tauchman. Can’t see the Yankees making Stanton a permanent DH just yet.
@lowereastsider- it doesn’t matter. Frazier & Tauchman got to platoon in leftfield. The Yankees will have to make Stanton a permanent DH because he gets hurt too much.
@lowereastsider, the Yankees want Stanton available to play the OF for roster flexibility, but seem intent on having him mostly handle DH duties. He’s actual a decent OFer, but can’t stay healthy. Tauchman is the 4th OFer who can play all three positions. Plenty of opportunities for all of them if they move on from Gardner. Andujar is currently the player without a clear opening.
When Is The Earliest That D.J. LeMahieu Might Be Back In The Lineup?
……I’d guess 10 days…..
If I count the days correctly, Wednesday August 26th, or a week from this Wednesday. They’re playing the Braves in Atlanta.
@lordd99- perfect timing for the Yankees & Braves to make a blockbuster involving Andujar and either Tucker Davidson or Kyle Muller. Both teams have the makings for a trade to help each other by the deadline
You know Yank4life, I couldn’t get back to the conversation we were having about Andujar so I don’t know what your response was, but you really are a sensible baseball fan. (Didn’t say YANKEES fan because that implies that most are not and I despise that kind of fan prejudice)
I say that because you have realistic expectations for what Frazier could be traded for. It’s getting more and more likely that after this season, Frazier will never be that cheap again.
SalaryCapMyth- yes, always enjoy a good conversation that relates to baseball. I feel somebody could of traded for Clint Frazier and got a steal for sure. I feel he is a star In the making. He is so hot right now swinging the bat, I don’t think the Yankees will trade him now at the deadline. But I do feel Miguel Andujar could even be better then Frazier in the long run. If a team trades for him at the deadline which is definitely possible that team will be getting a really good offensive player & that team will be getting 4 years of team control before Andujar hits free agency. Andy should be able to get a #3 or #4 in any starting pitching rotation right now, or a pitching prospect that could be 1 or 2 years away for sure. I feel the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Braves, and Tigers all have interest in Frazier & Andujar. So one of them are likely to be dealt. My guess is Andujar will be traded at the August 31st deadline.
I can’t see the Braves going after Andujar for their 3B needs for a lot of reasons.
1. This season is a mess and may not complete. Makes trading complicated.
2. It’s difficult to have a true evaluation of how valuable Andujar is so it’s even more difficult to put together a trade package. Can Andujar bat like that again?
3. Right now, he looks like a DH. One season at 3B isn’t enough to write him off from anywhere on the diamond. Maybe he could even be turned into a serviceable 3B but RIGHT NOW he looks like a DH and those don’t usually go for much. You can let the trading team worry about that but the added risk is going to be reflected in the trade package.
4. Building off point 3, I can’t see the Yankees looking for anything less than a close to elite package. Not just because of his potential but because of his control as well.
5. Some of these points could be for any team but particular to the Braves is they really don’t do big block buster trades. Anthopoulos is no longer the Gunslinger he was nicknamed with Toronto. The Braves are on their third season of being competitive and yet there has been no big trade.
A little long but I WILL come back to this discussion, my friend. =}
@SalaryCapMyth- you make a lot of excellent points my friend. I respect your knowledge of the game and in general. I feel that the team trading for Andujar will definitely be getting a diamond in the rough. Andy’s defense is improving at 3rd base. He isn’t winning a gold glove out there though. But he will definitely hit if he is given the at bats & playing regularly. That’s what he needs. The Cubs could use him they have a power righty Adbert Alzolay, 25 years old who is #7 on their prospect list and a lefty starter in the minors who is #11 on their prospect list Burl Carraway who is 21 years old. These are the type of players who the Yankees could move for Andy. The Cubs might trade Bryant to the Phillies or the Nationals next season for prospects, so they will need a 3rd basemen. If 3rd base isn’t the answer for Andy, then the Cubs could always DH him. We’ll definitely talk again. Have a good night my friend.
I know you feel confident Andujar will hit if given the chance, but he wouldn’t be the first one hit wonder. Being fare with the guy, he has only seen 61 AB’s since 2018 but his production was dreadful during that limited action and it doesn’t increase confidence that he can do it again.
2018: BABIP .162 / Ex Velo: 83.6 mph
2019: BABIP .091 / Ex Velo: 85.6 mph
Those BABIPs are God forsaken but so are those exit velocity’s. This shows he was making weak contact and wasn’t so unlucky. Maybe he just wasn’t able to ramp up and get his swing where it needs to be or maybe it was his injury. I can’t remember what it was so please inform me but this highlights the risk.
His glove, in LF at least, might actually have some hope. His admittedly short time in LF this year so far at least didn’t HURT the Yankees by DRS and UZR standards though he actually did rate as -1 DRS at 3B even though his time there was even shorter so far this year. I assume he probably covered a game for Urshela or something even to get those 7 innings playing at 3B this year.
I’m really not weighing his major league time in 2018 & 19 heavily against him but that time is certainly not helpful or pointing to much improvement or confidence that his bat will play. If his really short time in LF really is him finding a place where he can play and at least not harm his team than I think he draws a pretty good package because though his peripherals looked really bad on his short experience in 2018&19 his peripherals supported his production in 2017 meaning he wasn’t just getting lucky. He just wasn’t UNlucky after that.
He really needs successful reps because he is getting to far removed from his productive 2017. This all just makes Andujar sound really risky and that has to decrease his value which will impact trade offers.
Goodnight good sir.
Tough break for Yanks. They might only be able to score 12 runs tonight….otoh, it might rain.
“As of now, there’s no timetable for LeMahieu’s return, though the Yankees are confident that the sprain will not require surgery.”
The all knowing yankees are confident. Um, ok.
Boone is the MLB manager version of Monty Python’s Black Knight. No matter what the injury, he always minimizes it –‘Tis but a scratch.
^^ this. It’s funny because it’s the truth.
Looking at the 3:05 pm update, why would LeMahieu need a second opinion if he’s already on the IL? You get a second opinion when you don’t like or trust something about the first opinion, but even if he doesn’t like it, he can’t be removed from the IL for 10 days, so he can’t play short of 10 days no matter what comes back from the second opinion. It almost sounds as if he might have been told something more serious. Second opinions come when a player is facing surgery, not a 10-day stay on the IL.
DJ mentioned that the injury felt similar to the last time he had broken the same thumb in Colorado. He missed almost three weeks then. As last year has shown, there’s enough depth on the team to err on the side of caution.
@loweastsider- The injury to DJ is a severely sprained thumb. X-Rays were negative as far as a break which is great news for the Yankees. I didn’t know about the same thumb being broken in Colorado which is definitely interesting. Thanks for sharing that info. Like you just mentioned the Yanks definitely have enough depth on their roster while D.J is on the mend or healing. He should be fine with rest hopefully. We’ll see.
Pretty sure his breakout season was when he led MLB in batting average
I Would Be Happy To Trade Clint Frazier,Miguel Andujar,Albert Abreu & Domingo Acevedo To The New York Mets For Jacob DeGrom.
And here they go again a bunch of injuries in early stage of season, just like last year performance, many players trying to reach the fence and striking out frequently at no contact at the plate,