DJ LeMahieu feels ready to begin his rehabilitation mission, but the doctors won’t.
As a result of an additional MRI scan Thursday night, his scheduled appearance in Friday’s game has been postponed several days, possibly until Tuesday.
LeMahieu, 35, has been sidelined since March 16 when he fouled a ball on his right foot and suffered a nondisplaced fracture.
Initial expectations were that he would start playing for Double-A Somerset starting this weekend.
“A few doctors still weren’t relieved,” he said before the Yankees’ 5-3 win over the Rays in the Bronx. “No, it’s not a setback. I feel ready and ready to go out and play some games. I don’t think it should be too long.”
The veteran infielder tried to play through a right foot injury late in the 2022 season, but his play was limited early last year.
LeMahieu ended up hitting .243/.327/.390 with a .718 OPS.
“They want him to get through the weekend,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I know he feels very fit and ready, but the foot specialist is just weighing in and wants to make sure this is 100 percent. . He’s getting closer to it now, so we’re just being conservative on this one. … They feel like he’s ready to play, but like we’ve been talking about since the beginning. He hasn’t played at all in this one. We want to make sure that when DJ comes back, he’s ready to go. That’s the biggest thing.”
LeMahieu could do it all, from batting practice to running to fielding ground balls. He will continue to do so over the weekend.
“It’s frustrating, but I’m ready,” he said.
One positive was that Oswaldo Cabrera replaced LeMahieu at third base. He is one of the Yankees’ best players, posting an .895 OPS, three home runs, and 13 RBIs.
“We’re playing really well,” LeMahieu said. “I just want to be a part of it.”
