The New York Yankees have a lot of talented players on their roster. But when it comes to the leadoff spot in the lineup, it seems that this second baseman is their go-to man.
Last season, the leadoff spot was up for grabs after DJ LeMahieu missed the postseason with a toe injury. And Aaron Judge, who was chasing an all-time home run record, got promoted to the top to squeeze in some extra at-bats. Undoubtedly, he did a fair job but couldn’t really capitalize on the opportunity. Hence, he had to be demoted after a few games.
Now, as the new season approaches, the suspense over the team’s new leadoff hitter builds with each passing day. The Bombers team has many fierce, aggressive hitters in the lineup who could fulfill the role at the top. However, New York Yankees skipper, Aaron Boone, is not looking to experiment much, at least during the first half of the season, as he revealed the leadoff candidate.
DJ LeMahieu To Be Yankees Leadoff Hitter For 2023 Season
As the New York Yankees gear up for the opening day, fans and analysts speculate about who will lead off for the team this season. It seems that DJ LeMahieu is the man for the job. LeMahieu has been with the Yankees since 2019. And in that time, he stepped up as one of the team’s most consistent and reliable hitters. Before going down with a toe injury last season, he was hitting .261 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs in 467 at-bats. However, this season, the baseman is back to regain his original position in the team.
Meanwhile, speaking to Talkin Yanks, Aaron Boone, the skipper of the Yankees, formally announced that DJ LeMahieu will be the team’s leadoff hitter this season. Further, Boone ranked DJ highly and praised his hitting ability. He called the baseman a fearless hitter who is least scared of two strikes and will take every pitch head-on with the intent to attack.
Lastly, the skipper highlighted DJ’s .400 average last season on base and referred to it as the trait you expect of your lead hitter. However, the leadoff spot is not always a static position. Depending on the situation, the Yankees may move LeMahieu to a different spot in the lineup. But as the team takes the field on opening day, DJ seems to be the man at the top.
Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo On A Home Run Spree
Meanwhile, the dynamic duo of Aaron Judge and Anthony Rizzo bossed Sunday’s spring training game. Both the hitters slammed a home run each in the fifth innings of the game. While Judge added his second homer of the Grapefruit League, Rizzo opened his account. So far, Judge has had an off-spring training with minimal game time. In 15 games, he scored .368 with 2 homers and 6 RBIs.
On the other hand, Anthony Rizzo has made his comeback after missing significant time due to stiff back issues. The back that ruined his 2022 postseason run flared up again. Hence, Rizzo has been missing away games for a while and resting his back as much as possible. Hopefully, he stays fine for the opening day.