DJ playing the hits since 3-game respite for quad
After missing three games with quad tightness, DJ LeMahieu has picked up right where he left off.
The infielder was the Yankees’ offense on Sunday, going 2-for-4 with a home run and driving in both runs to support Gerrit Cole’s gem in a 2-0 win over the Twins.
LeMahieu sat out games on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday because of the quad issue, but returned to the lineup on Saturday and picked up an RBI single before delivering more production on Sunday.
“It was like one at-bat and I felt back to normal,” LeMahieu said. “Feel good and happy to help us out today.”
For the first time this season, LeMahieu was batting fifth instead of leadoff, with the Yankees needing to lengthen their lineup as Giancarlo Stanton hit the injured list. Anthony Volpe, who stole his seventh base of the season on Sunday, hit leadoff in place of LeMahieu.
➤ Josh Donaldson could be back in the Yankees’ lineup as soon as Wednesday.
The veteran third baseman, who has been on the injured list since April 8 (retroactive to April 6) with a right hamstring strain, is scheduled to play in a rehab game on Tuesday with Double-A Somerset. If that goes well, he could potentially be in line to rejoin the Yankees on Wednesday against the Angels in The Bronx, manager Aaron Boone said Sunday.
Donaldson was just 2-for-16 in five games this season before landing on the IL, but Boone said the 37-year-old would still be the starting third baseman upon his return.
“I’ll ease him back a little bit and as we’ve done, I’ll get him a day, pop DJ over there, rotate through with the DH spot a little bit,” Boone said.
➤ Harrison Bader (strained oblique) is also nearing a rehab assignment, though his does not yet have an exact start date — “some time this week,” Boone said. The center fielder did another day of full workouts pregame Sunday and said he has continued to bounce back well.
“I have been encouraged, but there’s some ways to go,” he said. “And it’s a new territory for me in terms of feeling slightly different than how I normally feel. An oblique strain, it’s a little funky injury, it’s tricky. So I’m just staying focused on leaning on my trainers to help me get through it. So far, everything’s been great. There’s been no worry, no pain, so it’s a matter of continuing to check off boxes.”
➤ Luis Severino (lat strain) threw a bullpen session Sunday at Yankee Stadium that simulated two innings. His next step is advancing to face hitters.
Carlos Rodon (forearm muscle strain), meanwhile, will throw a split-session Monday in Tampa, with the first simulated inning coming in the bullpen and then potentially facing hitters in the second inning.
➤ The Yankees avoided a series loss, becoming just the fourth team in franchise history since 1957 that won or split each of its first five series of a season. ... LinManuel Miranda was on the field pregame to take pictures with his cousin, Twins third baseman Juan Miranda.