Yankees' DJ LeMahieu once again battling with hip discomfort
BALTIMORE – A week into his minor league rehab assignment, DJ LeMahieu is dealing with enough hip discomfort that he received a cortisone shot Tuesday.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone termed it a 'proactive'' measure and expressed hope that LeMahieu would resume playing in games by Thursday or Friday.
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So, in the Yankees' view, don't call it a setback as he tries to move into the Yankees' third base mix. But given LeMahieu's recent injury history, it's at least one more potential obstacle on his path back to the Bronx.
On the injured list since Opening Day, LeMahieu has been rehabbing from a left calf strain suffered March 1, during the second at-bat of his first 2025 exhibition game.
Feb 20, 2025; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees third base DJ LeMahieu (26) during work outs at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Late last season, LeMahieu dealt with a right hip impingement that effectively ended his injury-marred 2024 season.
LeMahieu had received a cortisone shot to his right hip in mid-September. At the time, LeMahieu felt he could still contribute to the postseason-bound Yankees.
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But the 36-year-old former batting champion was a spectator through October, and his pinstriped status remained murky despite being owed $30 million through 2026.
According to Boone, the right-handed hitting veteran infielder 'felt a little something maybe coming on'' with his hip 'and just wanted to knock it out, wanting to be proactive, knowing he really wants this to go really well in his build up.''
Related: DJ LeMahieu talks about frustration over injury history, passion for helping the Yankees
In his first four rehab games at Class AA Somerset, LeMahieu is batting .600 (6-for-10) with a double, homer and three RBI.
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'(In) my sense, it was pretty minor,'' Boone said. 'DJ's always been so tough and his way is to just power through things and grind through things.
'I think he just wants to make sure he gives himself the best runway to be successful.''
It's been a series of injuries and bad breaks for LeMahieu, who fractured a bone in his right foot in a late March spring training game in 2024.
Prior to that, LeMahieu had lost significant time due to a sports hernia and ligament damage to his right big toe.
At the plate during his rehab games, 'I know he feels good,'' said Boone. 'Hopefully he continues to go that way and comes up here and helps us.''
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees' DJ LeMahieu once again battling hip injury
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