LeMahieu's turnaround vital for Yankees

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

DJ LeMahieu stood near the center of the Yankees’ clubhouse on Friday evening, lamenting an evening in which he and his teammates could not do much at the plate against Padres veteran Joe Musgrove.

His batting average had dipped, his strikeouts had risen, yet LeMahieu insisted that he felt better than the results indicated.

“I definitely feel like I’m close,” LeMahieu said.

Less than 24 hours later, LeMahieu stood in the same spot, reflecting upon a Yankees victory in which he had gone 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. Not surprisingly, the stoic LeMahieu batted away an opportunity to volley a “told you so!” at his questioners.

“It’s encouraging, for sure,” LeMahieu said. “It’s one game, so let’s keep it going.”

A healthy and productive LeMahieu is vital to the Yankees’ chances this season, as the 34-year-old continues to fill his assigned role as a roving option between second base, third base and first base.

“I think you’ve seen him here the last week or 10 days, I feel like he’s getting off a good swing within the at-bat, but he’s fouling it off,” manager Aaron Boone said. “All of a sudden, he’s down in the count and probably expanded [the strike zone] a little more than usual.”

Coming off a season in which his second half was affected significantly by a right foot injury, LeMahieu has played more than Boone might have preferred thus far, partly because a hamstring injury has limited third baseman Josh Donaldson to just five games.

“I don’t think there’s anything physically wrong with DJ,” bench coach?Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s one of those stretches where he’s battling. But as far as health goes, there’s not concerns there.”

Donaldson has been rehabbing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and could join the Yankees on their upcoming road trip, potentially in Seattle but more likely in Los Angeles.

Yet while Boone said that he envisions Donaldson as “an everyday player” in the lineup, the same can be said of LeMahieu, who will certainly continue to pick up starts at his infield positions. The designated hitter role remains available for Donaldson, LeMahieu and others, especially with Giancarlo Stanton not expected to join the club until after the West Coast trip.

“I feel good,” LeMahieu said. “The last week and a half has been kind of a grind. Just trying to put together a little bit better ABs. [I’ve been] a little disappointed, but just keep it going. I think overall our team has been playing good baseball, and I’m real excited about that.”