DJ LeMahieu has always been an explosive leadoff hitter for the New York Yankees since his addition to the roster. While age is taking a toll on the infield veteran for a couple of seasons, he is still the team’s best contact hitter momentarily. However, a foot injury broke his momentum completely.
He spends two months on IL before eventually making a season debut in the final week of May. That being said, DJ LeMahieu is yet to come through as a hitter. He hasn’t had an extra-base hit since his return, and that is concerning, given the potential DJ possesses. However, despite the frustration and concern, it’s important for fans to stay patient for now.
DJ LeMahieu’s Metrics Shows A Resurgence In On The Cards
New York Yankees benched slumping DJ LeMahieu from the series opener against Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday as the veteran is yet to hit an extra-base hit since his season debut. Fans and analysts are growing impatient with each passing hour as the Yanks’ four straight series losses have added extra pressure. However, there is more to it than meets the eye. James Rowson, the Yanks hitting coach, believes that a resurgence is just around the corner for DJ as he is moving in the right direction with the quality of his at-bats. Rowson was particularly happy with LeMahieu’s timing and barrel rate. DJ’s barrel rate entering Wednesday was 7.3 per cent, which is the second-highest mark of his career.
Additionally, his exit velocity is also healthy at 107.7 mph, but down to 3 compared to last year. The biggest concern for DJ LeMahieu is the low contact rate. As one of the best contact hitters in the league, DJ’s 30.9 contact percentage is the lowest since his rookie season. However, James Rowson brushed aside that concern as well, as he thinks contact is a by-product of consistency. And as long as DJ ends up playing quality at-bats, results will follow. “The underlying numbers tend to get better when your consistency of barreling up the baseball on-time starts to happen,” said Rowson while showing optimism on LeMahieu’s resurgence. Hence, overall, DJ LeMahieu is too good a player to miss out on swings. Eventually, he will come around, and until then, the fans have no choice but to stay patient.
Yankees Manager Backs DJ LeMahieu Amid Grave Slump
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has called for patience with respect to DJ LeMahieu’s form. The veteran is having possibly the worst patch of his career and was dropped from the lineup recently against the Toronto Blue Jays. However, amidst criticism, Boone has urged fans to show patience.
“It’s just something we’ve just got to be patient with and hope that he continues to work and eventually clicks through,” Boone said. The Yankees skipper further added that DJ LeMahieu is progressing well in batting cages, and it should only be a matter of time before he hits the barrel and snaps out of the concerning slump.
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