Yankees veteran DJ LeMahieu has returned to the fold with undefined expectations in an unspecified role, but his first start at Yankee Stadium in 2025 sparked some newfound optimism.
Batting eighth and playing second base, LeMahieu raised fans’ eyebrows at the plate and in the field on Saturday afternoon against the crosstown rival Mets. He put the Yankees on the board first with a solo home run in the third inning — snapping a nearly 10-month streak without a long ball — and also flashed the leather with a slick back-handed diving grab up the middle that robbed Francisco Lindor of a single.
The all-around effort from LeMahieu wasn’t enough, as the Mets outlasted the Yankees in a 3-2 thriller to even this weekend’s Subway Series in the Bronx at a game apiece. But the 36-year-old showed the sold-out crowd that more turn-the-clock-back performances could be in store, just as long as he stays fully healthy.
“It felt good to play at Yankee Stadium again. Obviously a big series, so just excited to be out there,” LeMahieu said after the game. “I don’t think there was too much emotion, maybe for me. But it was good, it was fun. I feel like I’m finding my rhythm pretty quickly after coming off the IL. It’s a couple of games, but I definitely feel like I’m in a pretty good spot.”
LeMahieu’s third-inning homer was a typical blast from the past. He drilled an 0-1 down-the-middle fastball from Mets starter Griffin Canning that flew over right fielder Juan Soto and landed just beyond the wall and into the seats. The short-porch shot traveled 333 feet.
In his second at-bat, LeMahieu ripped a 100 mph single to center, setting the Yankees up for a fifth-inning rally that was ultimately wasted. He then found himself in a position to play the role of hero in the eighth, with the bases loaded, two outs, and the score knotted at 2-2. But he wasn’t rewarded for smacking a 106 mph liner to right — the ball quickly found Soto’s glove, ending the threat.
It’s been quite some time since the Yankees last saw LeMahieu produce hard contact and connect with power. Hampered by foot and calf injuries, he hit a measly .204 with just seven extra-base knocks and 26 RBI across 67 games last season. The start to his 2025 campaign was delayed due to a calf injury.
LeMahieu’s time away from the big league club this past March and April allowed Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Oswaldo Cabrera to fill the void at third base. Now, both of LeMahieu’s replacements are on the injured list, and opportunity is conveniently knocking for a player who’s been written off a few times and considered dead weight.
“Some big-time ABs today. Back-side homer, base hit up the middle, and probably his best at-bat ends up in an out with the bases loaded,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Really encouraging to see him having those level of at-bats in his first few outings… Injuries have taken him off the field. He’s never been not outstanding in the field whenever he’s been out there. That’s who he is. He’s an elite defender.”
Only time will tell what LeMahieu offers as a platoon piece — he only logged two at-bats during spring training and has yet to reach a dozen this season — but the early results suggest there just might be something left in the tank.
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