Yankees' DJ LeMahieu hopes to keep good mojo going in Colorado return
Access the Yankees beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free
DENVER — DJ LeMahieu returned to his old stomping grounds Friday, hoping to tap back into some old magic while getting to hit in elevation.
And while the Yankees' veteran infielder had not gotten much in the way of results in his first eight games since returning from a calf strain that cost him the first six-plus weeks of the season, he was encouraged by how he felt physically and in the batter's box.
'I feel comfortable,' LeMahieu said before going 0-for-2 with a walk in the Yankees' 3-2 loss to the Rockies at Coors Field. 'Feel like I'm hitting the ball hard and like I'm seeing the ball pretty well. Just want to keep it rolling.'
The underlying metrics back up that claim, as LeMahieu entered Friday with an average exit velocity of 93.8 mph and an expected batting average of .282.
He hit a pair of groundouts Friday, one coming off the bat at 94.5 mph, as he dropped to 4-for-21 on the season.
DJ LeMahieu warms up before the Yankees' 3-2 loss to the Rockies on May 23, 2025.
AP
More encouraging has been the way he has looked in the field at second base — though he could be headed back to third once Jazz Chisholm Jr. returns from the IL — with manager Aaron Boone saying LeMahieu is 'probably' moving better than he has the past couple of years.
'But again, I feel like when he's been out there, he's been moving fine in the past,' Boone said. 'It's just the challenge of keeping him out there. Feel like he's in a good place right now physically and he's been bouncing back pretty well. Hopefully, that continues for us with him playing a big role.'
When the former Rockie returned to Coors Field for the first time as a visitor two years ago, LeMahieu went 6-for-13 and used it as a springboard for a strong second half.
He entered Friday having hit .330 with an .835 OPS in 437 career games here.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS
'I mean, yeah, I miss hitting here every day,' LeMahieu said with a chuckle. 'Not as easy on the body, but good place to hit, for sure.'
Chisholm Jr. (oblique strain) and Giancarlo Stanton (tennis elbows) remained in New York this weekend to continue their respective ramp-ups, with the potential for both to head to Tampa next week to take live at-bats. It remains to be seen whether either — especially Stanton — will have a rehab assignment before returning.
Go beyond the box score with the Bombers
Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+.
Thank you
Enter your email address
Please provide a valid email address.
By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter!
Check out more newsletters
Marcus Stroman (knee inflammation), meanwhile, traveled with the Yankees to Coors Field and played catch Friday afternoon.
He has been throwing occasional bullpen sessions but still has yet to face hitters again since feeling discomfort during a live session May 9.
'Some sides have been good,' Boone said. 'Just continuing to build up. Not sure when he has a side next. But hopefully get to a point to where we get him back to a live and see how the knee responds to that.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
25 minutes ago
- New York Times
Yankees pummel Walker Buehler as Red Sox's first-inning woes continue
NEW YORK — The last time Walker Buehler was on the mound at Yankee Stadium prior to Friday night, he watched as Alex Verdugo swung through a knuckle curveball. That swing-and-miss clinched the World Series for Buehler's Los Angeles Dodgers. He threw his arms wide in elation. It couldn't have been a more different scene nearly eight months later, his first time back on that mound. Advertisement Buehler, now a Boston Red Sox starter, stared blankly as he walked off the field in the second inning. Sixty-seven pitches thrown, seven runs allowed. Another atrocious start for the Red Sox in an unrelenting season. The Red Sox fell 9-6 to New York Yankees on Friday night, the score making the game appear closer than it felt as New York bounded out to a 7-0 lead. It was a different day but the same story for the Red Sox as they've played the same brand of brutal baseball on repeat for the better part of the season. 'It's hard to play this way,' manager Alex Cora said. The Bronx Bombers came out swingin' 💪 — MLB (@MLB) June 6, 2025 The irony of Buehler's bad day was that he returned to his World Series-clinching pitch in the first inning in a tight spot. With two on and two outs after a leadoff walk and an Aaron Judge double, Buehler tried to execute a below-the-zone knuckle curve. This time, with Jazz Chisholm at the plate, the Yankees third baseman pummeled the pitch 417 feet to straightaway center for a 3-0 lead. A single and an Anthony Volpe two-run homer later, and the Red Sox were down 5-0. 'To be honest with you, this organization put a lot of faith in me this offseason, and I've been f—ing embarrassing for us, so it's tough,' Buehler said. 'It's obviously a big game and a big rivalry that I was excited to be a part of, and for it to go the way that it did is super disappointing.' The five-run first ballooned Boston's first-inning ERA to 7.06, second only to the league-worst Colorado Rockies (9.00). 'We prepare, we have to execute,' Cora said. 'At the end, it's execution. It's not the scouting reports or they're showing up late to their bullpen session or to warmup. It's just that we aren't executing, and that's it.' Buehler's second inning wasn't much better. With two on, Chisholm drove in another run with a single to right. Jasson Dominguez walked to load the bases, and Buehler hit Volpe to bring in a seventh run. Trevor Story made a tumbling catch on an infield popup to get out of the inning, but Buehler's exit from the Yankee Stadium mound was a far cry from the jubilation of his last time in New York. Advertisement Coming off a dramatic walk-off win Wednesday in Boston, the Red Sox were riding high, hoping to carry that momentum into a tough stretch of their schedule. Cora said the team's off day Thursday was coming at a good time. But by Friday, it was more of the same malaise. The early seven-run hole made for another nearly impossible task for the Red Sox offense to surmount, though it tried. Marcelo Mayer gave the Red Sox a spark in the fifth inning with his first career home run to put Boston on the board. 'It was a good feeling,' Mayer said. 'Obviously, it kind of sucks when you're losing, but it's definitely a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life.' Mayer traded a signed bat and ball with two young Yankees fans who caught the ball. Marcelo's first career homer! 💥 — Red Sox (@RedSox) June 7, 2025 The following inning, after the Red Sox bullpen had given up another run, Jarren Duran led off with a triple, Rafael Devers walked and Wilyer Abreu hit a sacrifice fly. Yankees starter Will Warren issued back-to-back walks to load the bases and was replaced by Brent Headrick. Cora pinch hit for Mayer with Romy Gonzalez, who smacked a two-run double to pull the Red Sox within 8-4. 'We needed to pinch hit there,' Cora said of his decision to take Mayer out. 'That's a balance between developing the player and winning the game. It felt right there to pinch hit for him. I told him, I don't know if it's going to be this season, but at one point in his career we're not going to pinch hit for him. I made sure to let him know that because he's very important in what we're trying to accomplish. He's part of the future and he's a good player.' The Red Sox bullpen leaked in another run in the sixth before Devers' two-run homer made it 9-6. That's as close as the Red Sox would get. For the way the Red Sox's season has gone, it was a fitting way to begin a three-game series in the Bronx.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Walker Buehler's early exit only added more stress to a stressful situation
Buehler's body language had a much different message on Friday night and no translation was needed. It screamed, 'Get me off this mound.' In his first game against the Yankees as a member of the Red Sox, Buehler had the worst start of his career. He allowed seven runs, five earned, over two innings in what turned into a 9-6 loss. Advertisement It was the first time in 132 career starts that Buehler pitched only two innings. He's now 4-4 with a 5.18 earned run average in 10 starts for the Sox after agreeing to a one-year, $21.05 million contract. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'This organization put a lot of faith in me this offseason and I've been [expletive] embarrassing for us. So it's tough,' Buehler said. There's been a lot of that going around for the Sox. Brayan Bello was signed to a six-year, $55 million extension before the 2024 season has a 4.36 ERA in 39 starts since. He has completed five innings four times in nine starts this season. Breslow awarded Lucas Giolito a two-year, $37 million deal after his poor 2023 season. Giolito missed last season after having elbow surgery and has a 6.42 ERA over seven starts this season. Advertisement Tanner Houck, an All-Star last season, had an 8.04 ERA over nine starts before going on the injured list with a severe case of not being able to get outs. At least he's only getting paid $3.95 million. The Red Sox have a true No. 1 starter in Garrett Crochet and a collection of No. 4 starters — if that — after him. It's why they are 30-35 and have lost 9 of their last 12 games. They now trail the Yankees by 10½ games in the American League East and this seems sure to be the seventh consecutive season without a division title after winning three in a row under Dave Dombrowski. Dombrowski was fired in 2019 because of philosophical differences. His philosophy was he liked winning. What the team's philosophy has been since then isn't really clear. That the Red Sox managed to make a game of it by scoring six runs is incidental. They can't win with this rotation. They have allowed 16 runs in the first inning of the last five games. The bullpen, meanwhile, has pitched 24 1/3 innings over the last four games. 'It's hard to play this way,' manager Alex Cora said. Impossible, really. 'We just got to get better, right? We have to pitch. We trust these guys,' said Cora, who has had to work hard to stay positive. Buehler beat himself up talking to reporters. To his credit, he hasn't ducked from his performance. Buehler said he's throwing more sliders and sinkers than he's used to and doesn't have full conviction in how he's attacking hitters. Advertisement 'Good teams will make you pay for that,' Buehler said. The Yankees, who have won 13 of 17, are very good and they did just that. Crochet pitches on Saturday. It'll be his first start against the Yankees as a member of the Red Sox and he needs to work deep in the game to protect the bullpen. As Cora said, it's a hard way to play. Peter Abraham can be reached at
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler says he's 'f***ing embarrassing' after allowing 7 runs in 2 innings to Yankees
In their first meeting of the 2025 MLB season, the New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox, 9-6. The Yankees jumped on Red Sox starter Walker Buehler, roaring out to a 7-0 lead by the second inning. The onslaught began immediately with Trent Grisham drawing a leadoff walk and Aaron Judge hitting a double. Buehler looked like he might get out of trouble, getting Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt out. But he then dropped in a knuckle-curve that Jazz Chisholm Jr. golfed out to center field for a 3-run homer. Advertisement Jasson Domínguez followed with a single and came home on a 2-run shot by Anthony Volpe. Buehler threw a 94.7 mph fastball right down the middle of the strike zone that the Yankees shortstop smacked to the opposite field. The right-hander allowed one more hit, a single to Austin Wells, before getting DJ LeMahieu to ground out to end the inning. Buehler finished with seven runs (five earned), seven hits and two walks allowed before Zack Kelly took over in the third. In his past two starts, Buehler has given up 12 runs (10 earned), 17 hits (four of them home runs) and four walks in 7 2/3 innings. Following the game, the eight-year veteran gave a tough self-evaluation of himself to reporters. Advertisement "This organization put a lot of faith in me this offseason and I've been f***ing embarrassing for us," Buehler said, via MassLive's Christopher Smith. "So it's tough." 'It's obviously a big game and a big rivalry that I was excited to be a part of," he added. "And for it to go the way that it did is super disappointing, especially after the past two, three weeks of kind of prep and throwing and all that kinda shit and how I'm feeling. Physically I feel great and for it to happen that way, it sucks.' Buehler (4-4) has a 5.10 ERA after 10 starts for Boston with 44 strikeouts and 17 walks in 48 2/3 innings. In early May, he went on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Buehler signed a one-year, $21.05 million free agent deal with the Red Sox after seven seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and nearly three years removed from Tommy John surgery. The Red Sox did have some highlights, including Marcelo Mayer hitting his first career home run. (Rafael Devers later added his 13th of the season.) They scored four runs against Yankees starter Will Warren. But they couldn't overcome Buehler's terrible second inning. "He feels great physically, he feels his stuff is really good, and then that happened, you know?" Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Buehler after the game. "So it's not easy to be out there and get your a** kicked, right? I think we're all frustrated, you know, and he's trying to find a way.' Boston has lost nine of its past 12 games and dropped to 30-35 for the season. That leaves the Red Sox in fourth place, 10.5 games behind the Yankees in the AL East. They're also five games out of the AL's third wild-card playoff berth.
