DJ LeMahieu's season is likely over.
Was this his final game in pinstripes?
The Yankees on Monday placed the 36-year-old veteran infielder, who has been struggling with a right hip injury, on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to Sept. 6.
LeMahieu last appeared on September 3rd against the Rangers, going 1-for-3 with one hit.
“It's just something that's been lingering for a couple weeks,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Monday's series opener against the Royals in the Bronx. “He's been getting treatment. He's had his good days, his bad days. It's just something that's been lingering for a couple weeks.”
Boone remains unsure if LeMahieu will be able to return this year, pending the results of an MRI he underwent on Monday.
But with 18 games remaining in the regular season after Monday's game, LeMahieu's injury history and current slump make it seem unlikely he'll return to the lineup this year.
Boone also couldn't pinpoint exactly when the injury began.
“That [anything] “At first, he's not feeling it yet,” Boone said. “I don't know if that's part of it, but he's had some core surgery in the past and obviously he got hit by the ball on his shin, something on his foot, a bunch of different things going on. It could be a result of wear and tear and the rigors of the season.”
LeMahieu, entering his sixth season with the Yankees, has been one of the team's most criticized players all year.
LeMahieu was a Silver Slugger in 2019 and 2020 (his first two seasons with the Yankees) and the batting champion in 2020, but his performance has been lackluster in recent years and has declined sharply this season.
He's batting an impressive .204/.269/.259 with a .527 OPS.
His bWAR of -1.7 was the second-worst among all MLB hitters as of Monday.
And Jon Berti, who the Yankees activated from the disabled list on Monday, is likely to take over much of LeMahieu's remaining third base minutes anyway, while Anthony Rizzo has already seen his playing time at first base reduced since returning last week.
LeMahieu has two years and an additional $30 million remaining on his current contract after this season, and based on how things have gone this season, it's entirely possible the Yankees will view him as a sunk cost this offseason and waive him.
LeMahieu gave them another reason to do so.
