New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu will open the regular season on the injured list because of a bone bruise in his right foot, manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Monday.
The veteran LeMahieu, 35, is penciled in as the Yankees' starting third baseman and leadoff hitter as they attempt to rebound from a disappointing 82-win season in 2023. LeMahieu is coming off a 2023 campaign in which he slashed .243/.327/.390 with 15 home runs in 136 games. Over the last three seasons combined, LeMahieu has an OPS+ of 101.
This leaves the Yankees in a tough spot at third base. Under normal circumstances, they'd likely turn to Oswald Peraza to fill in for LeMahieu, but he's sidelined with a shoulder strain, likely until at least May. That means Oswaldo Cabrera is left manning the hot corner on a temporary basis, unless GM Brain Cashman looks outside the organization for a low-cost stop-gap.
LeMahieu's IL stint can only be backdated three days, so he could be back for the home opener on April 5 if all goes well.
It's already been a challenging spring for the Yankees in terms of injuries. Ace Gerrit Cole's elbow problems will sideline him for perhaps three months or more, and star slugger Aaron Judge is presently limited by an abdominal injury.
The Yankees open the regular season on March 28 against the Astros in Houston.