The New York Yankees are hard at work finalizing their ALDS roster ahead of the series with the Cleveland Guardians, and already it looks as if there may be some surprising players left out of the mix. After it was announced that Aroldis Chapman would not be on the roster, Aaron Boone dropped a hint that DJ LeMahieu may face a similar fate. Via Bryan Hoch, Boone wouldn't commit to LeMahieu having a spot among the 26 players the Yankees bring to the ALDS. Boone kept his cards close to his chest, indicating the team had not yet made a decision regarding the versatile infielder.
Boone's comments certainly don't bode well for those hoping to see LeMahieu on the playoff roster. While not having LeMahieu on the playoff roster would have sounded like a near impossibility at the start of the season, the veteran has been struggling mightily during the second half of the season.
LeMahieu is laboring through a toe injury, and the results are plain to see. Across 25 games in July, LeMahieu slashed .344/.462/.490 with four home runs, 11 RBI, and 33 hits. After picking up the toe injury, his numbers fell off a cliff in August. In 24 games in August, LeMahieu had a .550 OPS with just 20 hits in 95 at-bats. He played in just eight games in September and October, logging a .369 OPS in that short sample.
The Yankees know how valuable DJ LeMahieu is to the organization, but the harsh reality facing the team is that he's not at his best right now, and might not be until he has surgery on his toe, or at least lets it properly heal. If LeMahieu isn't included in the Yankees' ALDS setup, it'll likely be Oswald Peraza filling in for him.
Follow Us
Subscribe
