Yankees' DJ LeMahieu not quite ready for rehab assignment, doctors say
Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu walks on the field after getting injured during the third inning of a spring training game against the Minnesota Twins on Feb. 26, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Charlie Neibergall
DJ LeMahieu feels “ready to go” on a minor-league rehab assignment. In fact, he said it several times on Friday.
But after looking at an MRI taken on Thursday of the non-displaced fracture on the top of LeMahieu's right foot, the doctors don’t agree. So the earliest he will begin that rehab assignment is Tuesday.
“A couple of doctors don’t feel comfortable” with him playing just yet, LeMahieu said before the Yankees hosted the Rays. “Healing, but not quite what they were hoping for. It’s frustrating, but I’m ready to go. I’m frustrated, but I’m ready to go.”
Said manager Aaron Boone: “They want him to get through the weekend. He’s doing really well and I know he feels ready to go, but the foot specialists just weighing in want to make sure this thing is 100%. He’s close to that now, so just being conservative with this thing.”
Personnel moves
Righthander Nick Burdi was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Wednesday, with right hip inflammation. Boone said Burdi felt it on the final pitch of his most recent outing on Tuesday. Burdi is unscored upon in his seven outings.
Righthander Cody Morris, whom the Yankees got from Cleveland in a trade for Estevan Florial, was called up. Morris, 27, had a 1.93 ERA in four outings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Outfielder Taylor Trammell, whom the Yankees claimed on waivers from the Dodgers on Thursday, was added to the roster. He replaces infielder Kevin Smith, whom the Yankees designated for assignment, and leaves the roster a little lopsided in favor of outfielders over infielders.
Smith’s departure means Oswaldo Cabrera is the starting third baseman and the backup shortstop. If Cabrera had to play short, Jahmai Jones would play third.
Trammell, 26, once was a top prospect, but he is a career .165 hitter in 357 big-league plate appearances with the Mariners and Dodgers. A lefthanded hitter like Trent Grisham, Trammell would seem to be superfluous on the current Yankees roster, especially given that Grisham went into Friday with only 10 at-bats in the Yankees’ first 19 games.
“It's an opportunity to get a talented player,” Boone said. “The sort of guy that's been a big-time prospect in his career. Hasn't really translated at the big-league level yet. But it's a 26-year-old talented kid that I think the organization saw an opportunity to get our hands on, hopefully help get him to that next level. So we'll see.”
Sterling ceremony
The Yankees announced that Saturday’s ceremony to honor retired radio broadcaster John Sterling will begin at 12:30 p.m. and will be telecast on YES. Sterling, 85, announced his immediate retirement on Monday.
“I'm sure it'll be an awesome event,” Boone said. “Hearing some of the tributes roll in over the last few days, I'm a romantic when it comes to baseball on the radio, and so I totally get that. John has been the voice of a generation for Yankee fans. That's a pretty big audience. And it's [an] amazing voice and amazing calls and the theatrics of what he brings to the table. I'm going to miss that.
“Hopefully tomorrow's just a day that you can celebrate a guy that's been a giant in the industry for a long, long time and looking forward to seeing him out here. Get to pay our tribute to him. I'd love to see that “Theeeee Yankees win!” [on the Yankee Stadium loudspeakers] at the end of all of our games now here. That would be kind of cool, I think.”
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
