Yankees DJ LeMahieu hit with unfortunate rehab setback

Peter Chawaga

Yankees DJ LeMahieu hit with unfortunate rehab setback image

The New York Yankees enjoyed a historic offensive outburst against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.

The team posted 10 runs in the seventh inning, its most in a single inning since 2015, punctuating the success it has had at the plate this year. The Yankees lead all big-league teams with 60 homers so far, and they’re in the top-five for runs, hits and RBI as well.

But the team has reason to search for as many runs as it can get as its pitching staff struggles to overcome the losses of Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. And one clear area it can improve would be third base, as Oswaldo Cabrera and Jorbit Vivas have underwhelmed offensively.

That’s why the team is likely to give veteran DJ LeMahieu a look as soon as he’s healthy enough to make his season debut. Though he’s slumped and struggled with injuries in recent seasons, he is a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

The Yankees were optimistic LeMahieu would be able to travel with them this weekend with a chance to take the field, but his rehab assignment has hit a snag.

“DJ LeMahieu was bumped from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but his rehab assignment took a day off because SWB’s game was rained out,” per Mark W. Sanchez and Andrew Crane of the New York Post. “Before the weather interruption, Boone said the plan had been for LeMahieu to play Tuesday and Wednesday before deciding whether he would be ready for a call-up.”

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With LeMahieu unable to get in a second Triple-A game by Wednesday, that conversation could be pushed back and so could the veteran’s return to the big-league roster.

More MLB: Yankees raise hope of reunion with $100 million ace after Padres game

Peter Chawaga

Peter Chawaga is a veteran journalist covering Major League Baseball for The Sporting News. His MLB reporting has included feature interviews with commissioner Rob Manfred and Hall of Fame slugger David Ortiz, salary analysis, player rankings and more. He has covered baseball for Forbes, Yardbarker, Pitcher List, Athlon and other outlets.

With over ten years of newsroom experience, he has previously covered finance, technology, arts, and culture for newspapers, magazines, and websites nationwide. He graduated from Wake Forest University with a degree in English and journalism.