DJ LeMahieu’s spring didn’t exactly bloom as planned. During a routine spring training matchup against the Houston Astros on March 1, the veteran infielder felt something tug at his left calf—a small signal from his body that something wasn’t right. It wasn’t the kind of tweak players usually shake off by the next day. LeMahieu knew it. The New York Yankees knew it.
And soon enough, an MRI confirmed it: a mild calf strain that would put the brakes on his Opening Day plans.
A Familiar Detour
For the second year in a row, LeMahieu found himself on an all-too-familiar path—rehab instead of third base. It’s like déjà vu with cleats and a clipboard.
What was supposed to be a smooth takeoff into the season became a wait-and-see game.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. At 36, LeMahieu isn’t just trying to stay sharp—he’s trying to prove there’s still fuel in the tank. Injuries at this stage of a career can be like potholes on a highway: the bumps feel a bit harder, the recovery a bit longer, and the destination sometimes feels a little farther away.
The Comeback Trail
But there’s light at the end of the tunnel—or at least, a rehab assignment. Yankees insider Greg Joyce recently shared that LeMahieu has rejoined the team in Detroit. He’ll be spending three days working out with the squad, and if his calf holds up, he’s slated to begin a rehab stint starting Friday.
That won’t be a quick tune-up, either. The Yankees are planning a slow, deliberate return—like fine-tuning a classic car rather than rushing it back on the road. They want LeMahieu to get a solid stretch of games in the minors, piling up plate appearances and shaking off rust before heading back to the Bronx.
Filling the Gap
In his absence, the Yankees have pieced together a third base solution using a mix of Oswaldo Cabrera (.697 OPS), Oswald Peraza (1.182 OPS), and Pablo Reyes (.143 OPS). It’s been a patchwork effort with varying results, though Peraza’s bat has stood out in a small sample.
LeMahieu’s return isn’t guaranteed to flip a switch, but it could bring a steadying influence to a team that’s trying to get all its gears clicking. That’s if he can return to his best version, or at least back to being a league-average bat, of course.
If he’s going to play like he did last year, when he put up a horrible 52 wRC+ and looked done as an MLB contributor, the Yankees might be forced to make tough decisions.
In any case, if all goes well in the minors, LeMahieu could be back in pinstripes before April ends. How quickly he returns depends entirely on how he handles minor league pitching—and how well that calf holds up to the grind.