NEW YORK — New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu will be shut down for at least another week after an MRI and CT scan showed continued swelling in his fractured right foot.
The 35-year-old two-time batting champion underwent testing after leaving his first minor league injury rehab game with Double-A Somerset in the second inning due to sore right foot, which he fractured on a foul ball during a spring training game on March 16.
Before coming out of rehab, LeMahieu was scheduled to play at least four games before potentially joining the Yankees for a series opener in Baltimore.
“It’s tough because DJ is a big part of this team,” slugger Aaron Judge said after New York’s 7-3 win over Oakland. “What he’s been doing the last few seasons and not having him here right now, I know all the guys are feeling it, but the most important thing is that he stays healthy.”
LeMahieu hit a career-low .243 last year with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs in 136 games. He hit .220 in the first half but .273 in the second half.
In 2022, he missed the postseason because of a fractured sesamoid bone in his right big toe, which caused ligament damage in his second toe.
“I’m sure there’s some frustration there,” Aaron Boone said. “We just want to make sure this is right. I think that’s his mentality. In the last few weeks, I know he felt ready to go.”
LeMahieu won the AL batting title by batting .364 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season but has hit just .258 over the past three seasons.
