DJ LeMahieu continues to struggle

BOSTON — DJ LeMahieu remains in the wilderness at the plate, and he doesn’t appear especially close to finding his way out of it.

LeMahieu went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Sunday afternoon’s 6-2 loss to the Red Sox in the first game of the split doubleheader at Fenway Park.

LeMahieu, who was not in the starting lineup for the second game, is 14-for-86 (.163) in his last 23 games. The slump has dropped the two-time batting champion’s season average to .232 (with a .679 OPS).

“I feel like his preload [at the plate] is probably not as good as I’m used to seeing,” Aaron Boone said between games. “That’s one small thing that I’m seeing . . . I think it maybe has a bit to do with how he’s loading a little bit, but I feel like if he can get there and figure that out, he’s got the hit tools. He’s got to keep grinding away at it.”

All involved insist that LeMahieu is healthy. Hitting coach Dillon Lawson pointed out how well he started the season, hitting a respectable .276 with an .802 OPS as recently as May 14.

“His load has changed a little bit and it’s caused him to come off the ball a little bit earlier, his first move’s off the ball,” Lawson said. “I would say that today in the cage it was especially good, so I’m hoping that taking steps forward, getting him back on the ball, staying on the ball [will help him] drive back up the middle the way he’s always done.”

Bader ready to go

Boone said centerfielder Harrison Bader (right hamstring strain), who initially was going to be activated for this series but asked to play two extra rehab games on Friday and Saturday with Double-A Somerset to feel more comfortable running, is in line to rejoin the Yankees on Tuesday when they start a three-game series at the Stadium against the Mariners.

Hamilton getting close

Righty Ian Hamilton, a revelation out of the bullpen before landing on the injured list May 17 with a right groin strain, started a rehab assignment on Sunday with Somerset. Boone said Hamilton, who had a 1.23 ERA in 16 games, will need “at least three” rehab outings. He could rejoin the Yankees by the end of the upcoming homestand but is more likely to be activated for the club’s next trip, which starts June 27 in Oakland.

Nestor starts to throw

Nestor Cortes, put on the IL on June 8 with a left rotator cuff strain, played catch before the first game Sunday, the official beginning of his throwing program.

Reaching out

Kyle Higashioka, whose line drive fractured a bone in Red Sox righthander Tanner Houck’s face Friday night, got the pitcher’s cellphone number on Saturday from Boston righthander Corey Kluber, a former teammate of the catcher’s with the Yankees, and sent him a text. Higashioka said Houck, who the Red Sox announced Saturday was home from the hospital and in “stable condition,” quickly responded, essentially telling him what happened is “a part of the game.”