Infielder DJ LeMahieu joined the New York Yankees in 2019 and become a fan favorite ever since. His insane hitting power and ability to constantly create plays have been admired by fans and analysts alike. Speaking of last season, DJ was on a path to register his best career figures as he remained in the form of his life. However, an unfortunate injury derailed his plans.
DJ LeMahieu’s form dipped in the last stage of the regular season in 2022. It was later revealed that the infielder was battling a toe injury and had been taking cortisone shots. Eventually, the injury kept on aggravating. As a result, as per the medical team’s advice, LeMahieu missed the postseason, which hurt the Yankees offense badly. Moreover, the infielder made a tough decision in his recovery process, which could have hampered his future in the sport.
DJ LeMahieu Reveals If He Regrets Not Opting For Toe Surgery
Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu faced a gruesome toe injury in the latter half of the 2022 season, which put a premature end to the said season. Later, the baseman faced a dilemma while choosing an ideal recovery plan for his toe. He had two options, to either go for surgery or heal the injury through a natural rehabilitation process. While most of the doctors advised DJ to go for surgery, he chose otherwise. The infielder went under a rehab program during the off-season and came back fully healthy for the 2023 season.
Recalling the decisive moment, DJ LeMahieu admitted that he did consider going for surgery but treated it as a last resort. He wanted to explore other options as the surgery would have taken a long time to heal and also did not guarantee that he would be able to regain full fitness post-that. Hence, when LeMahieu looks back now, he does not regret his decision. He believes opting for rehab was the best decision he had made, and when he came back to spring training in 2023, the baseman felt no discomfort whatsoever. Overall, the whole thing panned out well for Lemahieu, who is back now to lead the Yankees at the top of the batting order.
“A Little Disappointed,” LeMahieu On His Recent Form Slump
New York Yankees infield backbone DJ LeMahieu has witnessed an unfortunate slump this season. Till Friday, DJ was batting at .250 with five home runs and 19 RBIs. .250 batting average is way low for a hitter whose career average stands at .296. Addressing the form slump, DJ admitted that he remains a little disappointed with his time on the plate. He added that he is trying too much at the plate, which is not his natural game. But the baseman remains confident of a comeback really soon.
When asked if the last season’s toe injury has played a part in his slump, DJ LeMahieu straight away said, “No.” He feels fine physically. His struggles on the plate are a result of low-quality at-bats. But the baseman is working on it night and day with the hitting coach, Dillon Lawson. Let’s hope the baseman finds his way back to scoring, as the Yankee’s current situation demands LeMahieu to be at his absolute best.