DJ LeMahieu lands injured list with sprained thumb as Yankees complete Red Sox sweep



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NEW YORK – American League batting leader DJ LeMahieu was placed on the New York Yankees 10-day injured list on Sunday due to a sprained left thumb, joining Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the key.

LeMahieu was injured in an awkward swing in the fourth inning of Saturday night’s 11-5 win over Boston and left the game two innings later.

He broke a small bone in his thumb in 2018 while at Colorado, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone said LeMahieu told him the thumb felt similar on Saturday night. LeMahieu did not play between May 13 and June 1 of that year.

“It’s just a sprain that isn’t broken,” Boone said. “In some ways, I think a little relieved to fear the worst last night, but we won’t have anything final probably until tomorrow.” ‘

Hours after Boone’s media availability ahead of the game, Mike Ford, who is expected to gain extra playing time, made three runs as the Yankees beat Boston 4-2 on Sunday night for their ninth straight victory over the Red Sox.

Ford put New York in the lead when he threw a single RBI into short center field in the first inning, then gave the Yankees a 4-1 lead with a two-run homerun from Chris Mazza in the third. Ford traded a series of non-socially distanced punches with his teammates.

“I think a lot of young players got a little too stressed out at times with these opportunities,” said Ford, a left-handed stick who backs Luke Voit at first base. “It’s not really about playing time. It’s more about controlling your emotions when you get that two week stint where you can try and prove what you can do.”

LeMahieu was sent for an MRI and CT scan on Saturday night. Slowed down by COVID-19 when training resumed in July, he returned for opening day and hit .411 with two home runs and eight RBIs.

LeMahieu, 32, leads a powerful Yankees lineup and plays second for the team leading AL East with a 14-6 record, New York’s best start since 2003.

“It is the catalyst for this offense,” said the judge. “It doesn’t matter what the situation is, the time of the game, what’s going on, how he feels.”

Tyler Wade expects to spend most of the time in second place in LeMahieu’s absence. He had an RBI brace after replacing LeMahieu on Saturday night.

“I’ve always been confident in my game. It just comes with repetitions,” said Wade, who started Sunday with a .286-in-14 batting average.

Closer Aroldis Chapman is due to be activated from the injured list Monday after recovering from the coronavirus, which had sidelined him since resuming training last month.

Miguel Andujar was recalled from New York’s alternative training site in Scranton, Pa., Where he was chosen after the game on August 5. Andujar injured a shoulder last year and lost the third baseman to Gio Urshela, then returned from surgery this year and hit 0.071 (1 for 14) without RBI in five games.

The judge plans to pick up the baton on Monday and be activated on Saturday. He struggled while playing on artificial turf in Tampa Bay and tried to convince the Yankees not to put him on IL.

“Going there usually makes me kick my legs, play on that field. I just felt a little tense, ”he says.

The judge said he plans to wear sneakers while playing the Tropicana Field outfield in the future and then switch to baseball cleats while hitting.

“I feel 100% now,” he says. “I was trying to beg them to give me a few days to be ready tomorrow. But that’s what it is. I think they’re just watching over me so it doesn’t get worse.”

Stanton has not played since Aug. 8 due to a left hamstring tendon, and Judge has not played since Tuesday due to a strained right calf. Stanton has been on the DL / IL in six of nine seasons, and judges in three straight and four of five seasons.

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