With Yanks hot, LeMahieu returns as No. 9 hitter

ANAHEIM, Calif. — DJ LeMahieu made his return to the New York Yankees‘ lineup on Tuesday after missing the season’s first two months with a non-displaced fracture in his right foot.

Before his injury, which he suffered when he fouled a ball off that foot in the middle of March, the plan was for LeMahieu to consistently lead off. When he returned for the start of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels, he was placed in the No. 9 spot, a sign of how well the Yankees’ offense has fared without him.

“I wouldn’t change a whole lot with our offense right now,” LeMahieu said. “I’m just looking forward to being part of the lineup and lurk down there in the bottom of the order.”

The Yankees, who began the day with an 18-6 record in May, lead the majors in OPS and home runs and also boast the sport’s highest walk rate. Juan Soto and Aaron Judge have led the charge, but second-year shortstop Anthony Volpe has slashed .282/.355/.435 while hitting in front of them and essentially replacing LeMahieu as the leadoff hitter. The Nos. 1 to 3 hitters in the Yankees’ lineup have combined for an .896 OPS, second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers threesome of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone clearly did not want to interrupt that, prompting LeMahieu, a two-time batting champion, to start as the No. 9 hitter for the first time since 2019.

“I talked to him a little bit about it yesterday,” Boone said. “I just said I’m gonna keep Anthony in the leadoff spot. Not surprisingly DJ’s just like, ‘Wherever you want me.’ He’s just so excited to get back and play with this group. It’s a testament to who he is. This is a guy who’s obviously already had an amazing career, an amazing career with the Yankees, and the unselfishness to completely not make it about him wasn’t surprising. It’s just who he is and a great example to the rest of the club.”

LeMahieu, 35, slashed .309/.365/.442 from 2014 to 2020, a stretch that concluded with a major league-leading .364 batting average during the COVID-19-shortened season. His slash line dropped to .258/.345/.375 over the ensuing three years, but the Yankees were nonetheless counting on LeMahieu to be a major contributor before an ill-timed foul ball forced him to miss the season’s first 55 games.

LeMahieu initially began his rehab assignment on April 23 but was shut down after one inning after experiencing soreness in the injured foot. He resumed playing in minor league games on May 17 and went 4-for-15 over six games at three levels. LeMahieu, a right-handed hitter, will get the majority of the playing time at third base but could also spell the left-handed-hitting Anthony Rizzo at first base from time to time.

Boone said he expects to play LeMahieu the entire three-game series against the Angels, who will start back-to-back lefties on Wednesday and Thursday.

“It’s been a special start to the season,” LeMahieu said. “I’m just looking forward to being a part of it.”