A tough season for DJ LeMahieu took a painful turn Friday.
The Yankees infielder was scratched from the lineup with a facial contusion after he was struck in the face with a ball during warm-ups.
LeMahieu was getting reps at first base during infield practice and caught one ball as another drilled him.
He grabbed at his face and hustled into the dugout, where he went down.
Gleyber Torres ran off the field to sit with him and put his hand on his shoulder as a trainer tended to LeMahieu.
The trainer appeared to check on LeMahieu’s jaw for several moments before LeMahieu walked down the tunnel and into the clubhouse under his own power.
Aaron Boone said LeMahieu had loosened a tooth.
“Think he kind of wanted to play, but we erred on the side of caution,” Boone said of LeMahieu, who he said was in “pretty good spirits.”
LeMahieu had been penciled in to play first base and bat ninth against lefty Kyle Freeland before Ben Rice replaced him and went 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
The 36-year-old LeMahieu typically has only been getting starts against southpaws during the worst season of his career.
The two-time batting champion is hitting just .189 with a .512 OPS that entered play as the third-worst in all of baseball among hitters who had logged at least 200 plate appearances.
There have been few signs of a turnaround from an aging player who has dealt with several foot/toe injuries in the past few seasons.
LeMahieu was 2-for-19 in his past six games and had hit two home runs in 62 games this season.
This season has hurt, and on Friday it did literally.
LeMahieu's Injury
DJ LeMahieu’s bad season became more painful on Friday at Yankee Stadium. LeMahieu was initially set to bat ninth and play first base for the New York Yankees in Friday's series opener against the Rockies, but was scratched from the lineup shortly before first pitch.
During pregame warmups, LeMahieu was hit in the right side of his face by a throw, according to multiple reports. The veteran infielder was seen holding his jaw and was tended to by the Yankees’ training staff in the dugout before being taken to the clubhouse.
According to YES Network's Meredith Marakovits, LeMahieu suffered a facial contusion and was held out of the lineup for “precautionary reasons.”
LeMahieu, 36, has played in 62 games for New York this season, primarily at the corner infield positions. The two-time batting champion has struggled to replicate his past offensive success in 2024, posting a career-low .512 OPS with just two home runs over 210 plate appearances. Currently, he is in the midst of a 2-for-19 rut.
Impact of LeMahieu's Absence
Friday would have been LeMahieu’s first game back since Tuesday’s 12-inning loss to the Cleveland Guardians, where he went 0-for-5 with a strikeout and stranded multiple runners in scoring position. He remained on the bench for the next two games, which saw higher-scoring performances from New York.
Before the regular season began, LeMahieu sustained a non-displaced fracture in his right foot, forcing him to start the year on the injured list. His rehab took longer than expected due to ongoing soreness, and he did not rejoin the Yankees' lineup until the end of May.
In the event LeMahieu's facial contusion leads to an extended absence, the Yankees have several options to replace the veteran infielder. At third base, Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be reintegrated into the everyday lineup after his timely return from the 10-day injured list on Friday afternoon. Additionally, infielder Oswald Peraza, who was recently optioned to Triple-A to make room for Chisholm, could be a candidate to return to the roster in the short term if LeMahieu has to miss time.
Rookie first baseman Ben Rice took LeMahieu's place in Friday's lineup and is likely to continue as the everyday starter until Anthony Rizzo completes his rehab stint with Double-A Somerset. The 25-year-old lefty bat entered Friday’s contest with a .180/.279/.374 slash line. Super utility man Oswaldo Cabrera has 28.2 innings of experience at first base through 251 career big league games, making him another potential option to fill in at the position.
Since the Yankees’ next off-day is not until Thursday, any corresponding roster move would need to be made promptly.
LeMahieu's Status Remains Uncertain
The good news is that for now it appears LeMahieu dodged disaster since his removal from the lineup was deemed to be precautionary.
While playing first base during batting practice on Friday, Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu was hit in the face by a thrown baseball and was scratched from the lineup.
Written into manager Aaron Boone’s lineup starting at first base, LeMahieu had to be scratched after a freak batting practice injury.
LeMahieu was visited by a trainer before he headed into the clubhouse. The Yankees said LeMahieu, who was slated to play first base and bat ninth, was scratched for precautionary reasons.
Rookie Ben Rice replaced LeMahieu at first base and in the No. 9 spot in the batting order.
LeMahieu, in the fourth year of a six-year, $90 million deal, is batting just .189 with two homers and 24 RBIs in 62 games this season.
The 36-year-old, who played for the Rockies from 2012 to 2018, missed the first two months of the season with a fractured right foot. LeMahieu won a batting title with the Yankees in 2020 and another with the Rockies in 2016.
LeMahieu was able to walk to the dugout under his own power and appeared to be in good spirits after being examined by the training staff.
However, it remains to be seen how long he will be out of the lineup. The Yankees will likely provide an update on his status in the coming days.
