Injured New York Yankees Star Set to Resume Rehab Assignment

New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu appears ready to resume a rehab assignment this week after getting live at-bats at the team’s complex in Tampa, Fla., on Tuesday.

Per the New York Post, the plan is for LeMahieu to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on either Thursday or Friday.

Two other injured Yankees, infielder Oswald Peraza and pitcher Tommy Kahnle, are with the Patriots on an rehab assignment. They are hosting Portland this week.

Returning to live game action is a significant step forward for LeMahieu, a player the Yankees were hoping would be their starting third baseman on Opening Day.

Instead, LeMahieu suffered non-displaced fracture of his right foot on a foul ball March 16 during spring training and was moved to the injured list after that. Originally, the Yankees termed it a foot contusion before an second MRI revealed the fracture after the swelling went down after the first MRI.

LeMahieu started a rehab assignment on April 23, but he only lasted one inning after he reported soreness in the foot and the Yankees opted to shut him down.

LeMahieu is in the fourth year of a six-year contract that pays him $90 million. He won the American League batting title in the truncated 2020 season, hitting .364 in his first year with the Yankees. But his average in each of his last three full seasons has been below his career average of .298, as he batted only .243 last season in 136 games.

In order to build depth around the position before the season the Yankees traded for Jon Berti, who spent some time on the injured list earlier this season.

The Yankees have used Oswaldo Cabrera primarily at third base and he has put together a solid season in LeMahieu’s absence.