The New York Yankees benched two-time batting champion DJ LeMahieu on Sunday amid a season-long slump.
LeMahieu was a healthy scratch for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Oswaldo Cabrera took his place at third base. Manager Aaron Boone discussed the decision with reporters pregame while declining to address LeMahieu’s status beyond Sunday’s game.
“We’ll see,” Boone said when asked about LeMahieu’s potential return to the lineup. “Get through today, and we’ll see where we’re at.”
He also praised LeMahieu’s talent and professionalism.
“He is such a pro and obviously been such a good hitter over the course of his career, over the course of his life,” Boone said. “A very mentally and physically tough guy. He’s equipped to handle things and deal with things.
“But you also want to be sensitive to knowing a guy that’s had this kind of success is really grinding through things right now. Try to be aware of that too.”
Aaron Boone on if DJ LeMahieu could be back in the lineup tomorrow: “We’ll see.”
“He is such a pro, and obviously been such a good hitter over the course of his career, over the course of his life. A very mentally and physically tough guy.” pic.twitter.com/Xm3JCS8KJl
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 21, 2024
LeMahieu, 36, is slashing .177/.270/.202 through 39 games this season, the worst performance of his 14-season MLB career by far. He has 11 RBI and has yet to hit a home run.
A three-time All-Star and career .290/.352/.411 hitter, he won a batting title with the Colorado Rockies in 2016 and another with the Yankees in 2020. His .243 batting average last season was previously the worst of his career.
LeMahieu started the season on the injured list with a fractured foot and has struggled at the plate since his return to the lineup on May 28. He’s been heckled and booed by home fans as the Yankees have been mired in a slump as a team. New York went into the All-Star break on an 8-18 slide that saw them fall from first place in the AL East to trailing the Baltimore Orioles. The 59-41 Yankees were two games behind the Orioles entering Sunday’s game.
Boone said on Saturday of LeMahieu, “we’ve got to keep running him out there.”
“He’s earned that, and where we are right now roster-wise, we’ve gotta give that opportunity to unlock it,” Boone said.
LeMahieu then went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in a 9-1 loss to the Rays. He told reporters on Sunday that he is healthy. LeMahieu’s playing on the fourth year of a six-year, $90 million contract.
