Rookie reliever gets rude welcome to major leagues
American League batting leader DJ LeMahieu was placed on the 10-day injured list by the New York Yankees before Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Red Sox because of a sprained left thumb, joining Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the sidelines.
LeMahieu was hurt during an awkward swing of Saturday night’s 11-5 victory over Boston and left the game two innings later.
He broke a small bone in the thumb in 2018 while with Colorado, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone said LeMahieu told him the thumb felt similar Saturday night. LeMahieu did not play between May 13 to June 1 that year.
LeMahieu was sent for an MRI and CT scan on Saturday night. Slowed by COVID-19 when training resumed in July, he returned for opening day and is hitting .411 with two homers and eight RBIs.
A 32-year-old second baseman, LeMahieu hits leadoff atop a powerful Yankees lineup on a team that leads the AL East with a 14-6 record, New York’s best start since 2003.
Tyler Wade figures to get most of the time at second in LeMahieu’s absence. He had an RBI double after replacing LaMahieu on Saturday night.
Judge plans to resume batting today and to be activated on Saturday. He got sore from playing on artificial turf at Tampa Bay and tried to talk the Yankees into not putting him on the IL.
Stanton has not played since Aug. 8 because of a strained left hamstring and Judge hasn’t played since Tuesday because of strained right calf. Stanton has been on the DL/IL in six of nine seasons and Judge in three straight seasons and four of five.
REDS, PIRATES WON’T PLAY, AWAITING COVID-19 TEST RESULTS >> Reds players and staff were tested for COVID-19 again Sunday as Major League Baseball tried to determine if more than one Cincinnati player has been exposed to the novel coronavirus.
The last two games of a series between the Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates were postponed Saturday after the player tested positive. Both teams had days off today, creating an opportunity for a makeup doubleheader, but MLB was waiting on further testing.
BLUE JAYS’ BICHETTE PLACED ON INJURED LIST >> The Toronto Blue Jays placed shortstop Bo Bichette on the 10-day injured list with a right knee sprain.
Bichette had an MRI after experiencing discomfort in the knee during Saturday’s game in Buffalo, New York, against the Tampa Bay Rays, when he extended his hitting streak to nine games with a third-inning single.
Bichette, 22, is batting .361 with five homers and 13 RBIs through 14 games in his second MLB season.