The Yankees may be adding a familiar face back into the mix soon. Veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu began his rehab assignment on Tuesday with Double-A Somerset and didn’t waste time making noise.
In just five innings of work at second base, LeMahieu went 3-for-3 with a home run and a double — the kind of line that suggests the 36-year-old isn’t far from being ready. If things continue trending in the right direction, the Yankees could activate him within the next week.
Reps Coming at Third Base?
While LeMahieu played second on Tuesday, his path back to consistent playing time with the Yankees likely leads to the hot corner. With Gleyber Torres gone and Jazz Chisholm entrenched at second base, third is where the team has the biggest question mark.
Oswaldo Cabrera has held the spot down to start the year, and while his offensive numbers began strong, the cracks are showing. He’s solid from the left side, though, and could make sense as part of a platoon with LeMahieu — especially given DJ’s historically better performance against left-handed pitching.
But that plan comes at a cost.
What Happens to Peraza?
If the Yankees go with a Cabrera-LeMahieu platoon, Oswald Peraza could find himself the odd man out. Peraza offers strong defensive play, but hasn’t shown much with the bat and lacks the positional flexibility of Cabrera. Designating him for assignment may be on the table if the roster crunch gets tight.
It’s not an easy call, but the reality is this: the Yankees are paying LeMahieu $15 million this year and again in 2026. They’re going to squeeze out every drop of value they can, especially if he can still play a clean third base and avoid being a total black hole at the plate.
DJ’s Groundball Problem
Of course, there are concerns — and rightfully so. Last season, LeMahieu slashed just .204/.269/.259 over 67 games, hitting only two homers with 26 RBIs. His power vanished, and worse, he drove the ball into the ground at a 56.4% clip.
That’s a deadly combo for a veteran whose slugging days are likely behind him. He’s no longer hitting line drives into the gaps or sneaking balls over the wall — he’s bouncing them straight to infielders and jogging back to the dugout.
- Yankees’ star rookie has historic 3 HR game, breaks 88-year record
- Yankees reward backup catcher’s recent walk-off sac fly with a start on Friday
- Yankees’ superstar outfielder is already aiming for rare feat
Still, if LeMahieu can work counts, play strong defense, and make enough contact to justify a righty-heavy platoon role, the Yankees might have just enough reason to keep him around and ease the burden on Cabrera.
One way or another, LeMahieu’s return is about to force a roster decision. And someone — likely Peraza — could end up paying the price.