Yankees place DJ LeMahieu on injured list, call up Miguel Andújar

Earlier today, the Yankees placed infielder DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left thumb. As a corresponding move, the team called up third baseman Miguel Andújar from the alternate site at Scranton.

LeMahieu left yesterday’s game against the Red Sox after taking a big swing in the fourth inning. His front hand came off the bat on the backswing, and violently jerked backwards. He appeared to be in a lot of pain, as manager Aaron Boone had to rush out to attend to him. LeMahieu finished his at-bat, then played the field for an inning, before exiting the game in the sixth inning. The team later announced that the second baseman had sprained his left thumb.

In 2018, LeMahieu suffered the same injury while playing for the Rockies, and he missed just under three weeks while rehabbing it. “He [LeMahieu] said it felt similar this time,’’ Boone explained to reporters after the game. ‘’We’ll just see what comes of it.’’

LeMahieu, 32, remains a standout player, pacing the American League in hitting. Through 79 plate appearances, he’s slashing .411/.456/.534 with two home runs (177 wRC+). This line fits right in line with his 2019 season, when he hit .327/.375/.518 with 26 home runs (136 wRC+).

Andújar, the team’s choice of replacement, might now have a chance to get regular at-bats as the team’s DH. The book is out on his defensive struggles, but with Stanton injured, the designated hitter spot sits open for him. Andújar is just two seasons removed from a 2018 campaign where he hit .297/.328/.527 with 27 home runs (130 wRC+).