NEW YORK – Batman leader DJ LeMahieu of the American League was placed on the 10-day injured list by the New York Yankees on Sunday due to a sprained left thumb, with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton sitting on the sidelines.
LeMahieu was injured during an awkward swing in the fourth inning of Saturday night’s 11-5 victory over Boston and left the game two innings later.
He broke a small bone in the thumb in 2018 while he was with Colorado, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone said LeMahieu told him that the thumb felt similar Saturday night. LeMahieu did not play between May 13 and June 1 that year.
LeMahieu was sent for an MRI and CT scan on Saturday night. Delayed by COVID-19 when training resumed in July, he returned for Opening Hours and hit .411 with two homers and eight RBIs.
A 32-year-old second baseman, LeMahieu hits leadoff on top of a powerful Yankees lineup on a team that leads the AL East with a 14-6 record, New York’s best start since 2003.
“That is the catalyst of this crime,” Judge said. “No matter the situation, the time of the game, what happens, how he feels.”
Tyler Wade figures to get second place most of the time in LeMahieu’s absence. He had an RBI double after replacing LaMahieu on Saturday night.
“I’ve always had confidence in my game. It just comes with reps,” said Wade, who started Sunday with a .286 average in 14 at-bats.
Miguel Andujar was recalled from the alternative training site of New York in Scranton, where he was optional after the game on August 5th. Andujar suffered a shoulder injury last year and lost the job at third base to Gio Urshela, then returned from surgery this year and suffered a concussion. 071 (1-for-14) with no RBIs in five games.
Judge has plans to play handball again on Monday and activate on Saturday. He got pain from playing on artificial turf at Tampa Bay and tried to talk the Yankees into not putting him on the IL.
“Going there slaps your legs up playing on that turf. I just felt a little tight,” he said.
Judge said he plans to wear tennis tennis shoes while playing the field at Tropicana Field in the future, and then switch to baseball pitches while playing handball.
“I feel 100% now,” he said. “I tried to persuade her to give me a few days so I could be ready tomorrow. But that’s what it is. I think she’s just kind of looking out for me, so it’s not getting any worse.”
Stanton has not played since August 8 due to a punishing left hamstring, and Judge has not played since Tuesday due to a restless right calf. Stanton has been on the DL / IL in six of nine seasons and Judge in three straight seasons and four of five.
.
