Yankees infielder removed from lineup after injury scare before game

DJ LeMahieu was originally scheduled to bat ninth and play first base in the New York Yankees' series opener against the Rockies on Friday, but was cut from the lineup shortly before the first pitch.

During pregame warmups, LeMahieu was hit by a pitch on the right side of his face, according to multiple reports. The veteran infielder held his jaw and was treated by Yankees training staff in the dugout before being taken to the clubhouse.

Accordingly Meredith Marakovits from YES NetworkLeMahieu suffered a facial contusion and was removed from the lineup for “precautionary reasons.”

LeMahieu, 36, has played in 62 games for New York this season, primarily at corner infield positions. The two-time batting champion has struggled to replicate his previous offensive success in 2024, posting a career-low .512 OPS with just two home runs in 210 at-bats. He is currently in the midst of a 2-for-19 slump.

Friday would have been LeMahieu's first game since Tuesday's 12-inning loss to the Cleveland Guardians, in which he went 0-for-5 with a strikeout and left several runners in scoring position. He remained on the bench for the next two games, in which New York scored more points.

Before the regular season began, LeMahieu suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right foot, forcing him to begin the year on the injured list. His rehab took longer than expected due to lingering pain, and he did not return to the Yankees' lineup until late May.

In the event that LeMahieu's facial contusion leads to an extended absence, the Yankees have several options to replace the veteran infielder. At third base, Jazz Chisholm Jr. will be integrated back into the starting lineup after his timely return from the 10-day injured list on Friday afternoon. In addition, infielder Oswald Peraza, who was recently moved down to Triple-A to make room for Chisholm, could be a candidate for a short-term return to the roster should LeMahieu be sidelined.

Rookie first baseman Ben Rice took LeMahieu's place in Friday's lineup and will likely continue as the starter until Anthony Rizzo finishes his rehab at Double-A Somerset. The 25-year-old left-hander entered Friday's contest with a slash line of .180/.279/.374. Super all-arounder Oswaldo Cabrera has 28.2 innings of experience in 251 career games as a first baseman, making him another possible option at the position.

Since the Yankees' next day off is not until Thursday, any changes to the squad would have to be made immediately.

The good news is that at the moment it looks like LeMahieu has escaped disaster, as his removal from the lineup was considered a precautionary measure.