With plenty of reps, LeMahieu nearing return

WASHINGTON -- The Yankees considered rushing DJ LeMahieu back for Thursday’s Opening Night contest against the Nationals, but manager Aaron Boone said that he ultimately decided a few more days of preparation would benefit the infielder, whom he has referred to as the club’s most valuable player of last season.

“He's on the roster,” Boone said. “I just felt like, especially with the off-day [Friday], he's done a lot of work. He's gotten a lot of reps, and I feel like he's close to being an option for us. I just felt like it was best to hold off. You know, he didn't start last Opening Day, and that worked out pretty well for him and us.”

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A search of last season’s box scores shows Boone’s recollection to be accurate; LeMahieu entered 2019 without a set position, riding the bench for the season opener as first baseman Greg Bird, second baseman Gleyber Torres, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and third baseman Miguel Andújar comprised the starting infield.

This year, it will be Tyler Wade in the lineup at second base, though Boone said that LeMahieu may return by Saturday. LeMahieu is expected to log simulated at-bats against left-hander Jordan Montgomery on Friday at Nationals Park, helping Montgomery prepare for a start in the Yanks’ July 29 home opener.

“He'll get a lot of at-bats off of him, so it'll be another workday for DJ, where we'll really ramp him up as best we can,” Boone said. “We’ll have more conversation around it, and hopefully he’ll be more of an option for Saturday.”

LeMahieu missed most of Summer Camp after testing positive for COVID-19. He resumed on-field activities July 17.

#BlackLivesMatter
Boone conducted his pregame news conference while wearing a “Black Lives Matter” T-shirt, and the manager said that racial inequality has been a topic of conversation throughout the organization in the months following George Floyd’s death. Several Yankees, including Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, have spoken out in support of the movement.

“We've kind of decided as a team -- not that necessarily everyone will be wearing these for batting practice, [but] I know a lot of guys are,” Boone said. “I felt like I wanted to wear it. Tonight, we'll have our own demonstration moving forward.”

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Judge said this week that he wants the Yankees to use their platform to “express unity and that we're all in this together.” The Nationals have announced that #BlackLivesMatter will be stenciled on the mound for all three season-opening games against the Yankees at Nationals Park.

“It's freedom of speech, it's the Bill of Rights,” Gerrit Cole said. “It's what the country is founded on, to be able to express yourself freely, so I think it's a wonderful thing.”

Time to reflect
Brett Gardner spent most of Thursday afternoon lying on a hotel bed, reviewing game video of Nationals ace Max Scherzer on his team-issued iPad. That familiar routine might have normally taken place at the ballpark, but considering the unpredictable nature of this year, the longest-tenured Yankee is just glad there was a game to prepare for.

“I get older, and I’ve learned to appreciate things a little more,” said Gardner, who will turn 37 in August. “With everything that's happened over the last few months, not knowing if I'm going to get another opportunity to go back out there this year -- maybe ever again -- who knows? So I definitely think I appreciate it more than in years past.”

When baseball halted in March, Gardner returned to his farm in Holly Hill, S.C., where he spent most of the spring with his family. Gardner enjoyed the unexpected months to hunt, fish and pitch in around the house, but he is also aware that his opportunities to patrol the Yankees outfield may be waning. Gardner was drafted by New York in 2005 and made his big league debut in 2008.

“None of us really know what tomorrow holds,” Gardner said. “The thought crossed my mind over the last few months; well, if this season doesn't get underway, what is the rest of this year and next year like for me? I'm just thankful to be here, be a part of this team and I’m looking forward to this.”

Summer glovin’
Presented with the opportunity to return to his natural shortstop position, Gleyber Torres was off to a rough start in the field this spring, committing five errors through his first 10 Grapefruit League games. Bench coach Carlos Mendoza said he recognized there was work to be done with the 23-year-old Torres, though the abrupt end to camp prevented them from sanding those rough edges.

By the time Torres arrived in Summer Camp, however, he appeared to be much more comfortable ranging toward second base and completing throws across the infield. Torres credits Mendoza’s influence for his improvement, noting on Thursday that they have been working together since December on the transition back to shortstop.

“He was amazing,” Torres said. “Mendoza helped me during the offseason; we started taking ground balls during December, so we prepared really well during Spring Training. During the quarantine days, I stayed and took ground balls almost every day to prepare really well, and during the Summer Camp, too. Mendy really helped me make the adjustments to shortstop, and to try to get better.”