Getty New York Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu is set to start the 2024 season on the injured list.
The New York Yankees will be without third baseman DJ LeMahieu to start the season as the four-time Gold Glover is headed to the injured list after suffering a bone bruise on his right foot.
As a result, the team’s shallow pool of reserve infielders might now be an issue, pushing the team toward the trade market to acquire some more depth.
“[Manager Aaron] Boone said that Oswaldo Cabrera is his backup SS right now, but Cabrera is also the likely Opening Day 3B,” Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reported. “Sounds like there could be a trade in the works between now and [Opening Day on] Thursday.”
The New York Yankees Might Explore a Trade or Free Agent to Add Infield Depth
The team has been linked to two-time former All-Star Josh Harrison, who became a free agent after opting out of his deal with the Cincinnati Reds. Harrison has played significant time at second base, third base and in the outfield over 13 MLB seasons.
The Yankees have also been linked to a reunion with third baseman Giu Urshela, who currently plays for the Detroit Tigers.
“Urshela has attracted interest from the [New York] Mets and New York Yankees, among others, league sources said,” per The Athletic’s Will Sammon.
“Gio Urshela isn’t a lock to win the everyday 3B job for the Tigers,” Hoch added. “Could the Yankees swing a trade?”
If the Yankees aren’t able to strike a deal to bring in more depth from another team or the free agent market, they might consider bringing up some additional help from the minors.
“Jahmani Jones, Kevin Smith and Jose Rojas are among the other potential in-house infield candidates to claim an Opening Day roster spot,” Pete Caldera wrote for NorthJersey.com.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has stated that all options are on the table as LeMahieu was ruled out.
“Externally, we’re evaluating all the options,” he said, per Caldera. “There’s always a potential trade or designations, opt-outs, that type of stuff. We’re evaluating the field.”
The New York Yankees Will Be Without DJ LeMahieu for Opening Day
LeMahieu, who is entering the fourth season of a $90 million deal with the Yankees and had been projected to bat leadoff, can remain hopeful for a return by the home opener in April, but even that is not a sure thing.
“The Yankees can backdate LeMahieu’s IL stint three days, meaning he could potentially return in time for the home opener on April 5,” the New York Post reported. “But that will depend on how much progress he makes over the next week.”
Without LeMahieu, Cabrera could also be the go-to substitute at first base if Anthony Rizzo, who is also powering through some injury, goes down. And with Cabrera the most likely option to fill in at the hot corner, the next man up at shortstop and third would be Oswald Peraza, which could be another reason the team is looking to add some outside help.
“It would be a different conversation if Oswald Peraza were healthy, but he’s still more than a month away from starting a throwing program as he works back from a subscapularis strain in his shoulder,” according to NJ.com.
All told, the Yankees face shortages throughout the infield.