Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu playing despite injury that could require surgery

BOSTON – A disappointing season for DJ LeMahieu has only gotten worse lately – and it isn’t expected to improve anytime soon due to a hip / groin injury that could lead to surgery for the off season.

LeMahieu was expected to be a stabilizing force in the Yankees’ lineup this season after signing a six-year, $ 90 million contract in the offseason.

Instead, he struggled for much of the season and was bothered for at least a few weeks with an unspecified injury that caused Aaron Boone to rest him in Saturday’s win over the Red Sox.

LeMahieu was back in the lineup and on third base on Sunday at Fenway Park, but he and Boone have acknowledged that the injury is something he will have to deal with for the rest of the season – as long as it lasts.

“It’s mostly something I’m going to worry about after the season,” said LeMahieu.

When asked if this could be something that required surgery, LeMahieu replied, “I don’t know yet.”

He had an MRI scan and the results are still under discussion. The best medicine at this point might be rest, which LeMahieu and the Yankees cannot afford as they are vying for a wildcard spot.

The discomfort impacts LeMahieu’s ability to move around and this is something that has been bothering him “for a little while”.

“The discomfort [has been there] for a while, ”LeMahieu said. “Over the past few weeks, I haven’t been feeling well.

And while that limits him, LeMahieu has remained a constant in the lineup, most recently at third, having moved there after Gleyber Torres was moved from shortstop to second and Gio Urshela to short.

LeMahieu also suffered a triceps injury earlier in the season, which made it harder for him to play on third base, but he did well defensively.

On set, however, LeMahieu fell short of what he displayed in his first two seasons in the Bronx.

And he’s been less productive lately. Heading into Sunday’s game, LeMahieu was 22 for 79 in September with just two more hits, four RBIs, 11 walks and nine strikeouts – with an OPS of .688.

During the season, LeMahieu’s OPS is 0.711, a stunning drop from his OPS of 1.011 in the COVID-shortened season of 2020 and far from his mark of 0.893 in his first full season with the Yankees. .

For context, LeMahieu’s OPS-plus is only 98, which means he’s been below average offensively this season.

He will continue to have the opportunity to try to turn the tide, although his physical issues will likely make it more difficult.

“I think it’s something he’s going to handle the rest of the season and I hope we handle it well,” said Boone. “It impacts it a bit overall… I don’t want to go into it too much.”

When asked if he was “confident” this was something LeMahieu could play successfully, Boone replied, “We’ll see. We’ll see. I’m sure he’s about as tough as they come. And I know he can play through things. He’s done it and shown it and proven it to us over the last few seasons with us. It can navigate sections where it gets a bit beaten up and this is another one. I am convinced that he can tolerate and that he can handle not being 100 percent while playing very well.