Nothing would make the Yankees happier than seeing a resurgence from veteran utility man DJ LeMahieu, who’s been struggling in his age 36 season following a foot injury in spring training.
LeMahieu is hitting just .192/.273/.265 this season, including two homers and 21 RBIs, with a 15.4% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate with a 53 wRC+. Offensively, he’s been arguably the worst player on the team, but LeMahieu is starting to find his groove and pick up some hits, recording five in his last five games.
The Yankees are Seeing Signs of Life From DJ LeMahieu
Over that small sample, he also has nine RBIs. To open August, which includes only eight at-bats, he’s hitting .375, so the Yankees will undoubtedly be giving him more opportunities to find his groove and start to pick up momentum as the postseason draws closer.
“Much better ABs,” LeMahieu said. “I definitely feel encouraged. I got a chance to work on a few things and so far it’s paid off. I just feel like I’m just in a better position to hit.
Interestingly, DJ has been excellent with runners in scoring position this year, hitting .300 with a .450 slugging rate over 40 at-bats. Manager Aaron Boone has had LeMahieu hit in the bottom two spots in the lineup, which is a far cry from his leadoff responsibilities in the past. However, the Yankees are still optimistic about his offerings, especially since his defense remains elite at multiple positions.
“He’s looking more like DJ with life through the (strike) zone,” Boone said. “I feel he’s better balanced throughout the zone. Obviously if we can keep him going like this, that role is there and it’s an important one for us.”
Defensive Efficiency is Paramount
DJ is capable of playing first, second, and third base. This season, he has a tremendous .989 percentage over 293.2 innings on the hot corner, collecting five outs above average. He’s been equally as efficient at first, if not even better. The Yankees are certainly capitalizing on his defensive qualities, but the bat has been silent, and that has been a major concern, leading to the acquisition of Jazz Chisholm Jr.
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The Yankees now have regular starters across the board, allowing LeMahieu to fall back into a regular utility role, mitigating fatigue and helping to offset any injury. DJ should’ve always been considered a utility option, and adding Jazz allows him to fall back into that support role.