According to New York Yankees clubhouse reporter Meredith Marakovits, second baseman DJ LeMahieu will be out the next two to three weeks. He is currently diagnosed with a left thumb sprain.
Aaron Boone said timeframe for DJ LeMahieu is about 2-3 weeks #yankees
— Meredith Marakovits (@M_Marakovits) August 17, 2020
Initial Injury
LeMahieu initially injured his thumb in a game against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday August 14th. After an awkward swing, LeMahieu could be seen visibly wincing and in pain. Interestingly, it is the exact same thumb LeMahieu injured while playing for the Colorado Rockies in 2018. Despite the diagnosis of a sprain, it was later revealed to actually be a broken bone. As a result, LeMahieu did not play from May 13th to June 1st. that year.
Impact
As of right now, the Yankees leadoff hitter currently leads the American League with a .411 batting average. His presence will without a doubt be missed in the Yankee lineup. As an under-the-radar free agent signing heading into the 2019 season, the utility infielder finished fourth in AL MVP voting. He hit .327 with 26 home runs and 102 RBI. Not only is LeMahieu leading the AL in batting average, he also leads in hits with 30 and on-base percentage with .456.
Miguel Andujar has been recalled from the Yankees alternate site to replace the injured LeMahieu.
Injury Bug
Impact players heading to the injured list is a recurring theme for this team. Last season, Yankee hitters spent a combined 1,149 days on the injured list. That was 600 days more than any other team in baseball. This season alone, starters Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge are both currently on the injured list. Stanton, dealing with a hamstring injury, is expected to be out until at least the beginning of September. Judge is expected to be out until Saturday with a calf issue.
Outlook
With LeMahieu, Judge, and Stanton on the shelf, one third of the Yankee starting lineup is out including the best overall hitter and two best power hitters. Despite all of that, the Yankees are still sitting atop the AL East with a 15-6 overall record. Both Mike Tauchman and Clint Frazier are keeping the outfield afloat with their solid play. Tyler Wade will be filling at second until LeMahieu returns and his speed will be a weapon in the Yankee lineup.
The hope is that the Yankees depth will be able to carry them until their star power returns. However, the Tampa Bay Rays are only two games back and recently took three out of four from the Yankees in Tampa. If another significant injury hits the Yankees, they could find themselves battling not only the Rays, but also the surprising Baltimore Orioles for the AL East crown. The Yankees are looking to complete a four game sweep of the Red Sox tonight in the Bronx.
Main Photo: Embed from Getty Images
