While the New York Yankees are a brisk nine games ahead of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East standings, the foot can’t be taken off the gas.
The season is far from over, and putting the Sox down in London could be a well-deserved knock-down punch that would put them into a double-digit game win-loss margin.
Who will be the difference maker for the New York Yankees in London?
The catalyst for the Yankees in this foreign affair will be who else but DJ LeMahieu. At this point, even his teammates are in awe of his efficiency and ability to score runs at an alien rate.
“He makes every play and he’s great with runners on base at getting guys in,’’ Aaron Judge said. “What he and Gio [Urshela] did when guys were out was huge. I’m glad he’s on our team.â€
Hitting .336 on the year with 12 homers and 54 RBIs, LeMahieu is in the running for the All-Star game, in fact, he’s the second-ranked player up to this point, so he’s a near lock.
His influence against the Red Sox will be important — when you factor in his “clutchness” and ability to drive in runners in scoring position, he’s one of the most consistent hitters in the game at this point in time. Add in his incredible defensive skills and he’s one of the best players.
Consider the fact that DJ had never played a game at third-base prior to this season and now fills in valiantly whenever called upon, his impact and value to the team is invaluable. He has committed four errors this season, three of which have come at third base, the position with the least experience.
Miguel Andujar, the Yankees regular third-baseman committed three errors in four games earlier this year before having season-ending shoulder surgery. That should put some perspective on LeMahieu’s capabilities.