The New York Yankees received a clearer picture regarding veteran third baseman DJ LeMahieu’s injury status. An MRI taken on Friday revealed a non-displaced fracture in his right foot. LeMahieu sustained the injury on March 16 during spring training when he fouled a pitch off his foot. Initially diagnosed with a bone bruise, further imaging confirmed the fracture. With uncertainty surrounding his return timeline, the Yankees acquired Jon Berti from the Miami Marlins on Wednesday to bolster their infield depth.
In the absence of LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera has been starting at third base for the Yankees. In Saturday’s 5-3 victory over the Houston Astros, Cabrera hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the seventh inning. He has been performing well in the series, going 7-for-13 with two homers, three runs, and six RBIs.
Regarding LeMahieu’s recovery, Yankees manager Aaron Boone stated, “It doesn’t really change much. It’s tolerance as he builds up, and the last two days have been good.” LeMahieu has been progressing, with plans for a follow-up imaging in two weeks to assess his condition.
In the upcoming series finale on Sunday, right-hander Clarke Schmidt will start for the Yankees. Schmidt had a solid performance last season, allowing three runs or less in 25 of his 32 starts. He will face Astros’ right-hander J.P. France, who led all American League rookies last season in quality starts and wins.
Astros reliever Bryan Abreu struggled in his season debut on Saturday, allowing three runs on two homers and two walks. Astros manager Joe Espada acknowledged Abreu’s lack of sharpness and emphasized the need for improvement in his execution.
Despite the Yankees’ success against the Astros’ high-leverage relievers, including Abreu and former closer Ryan Pressly, Espada remains committed to their strategic approach, recognizing the unpredictability of baseball.
