Yankees place DJ LeMahieu on injured list due to toe inflammation

New York Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu was placed on the injured list Thursday due to toe inflammation.

LeMahieu has been dealing with the ailment for weeks and hasn’t played since Sept. 4. He was just 1-for-29 over his final eight games before the absence.

Overall, LeMahieu is having an OK season, batting .262 with 12 home runs and a 113 OPS+. The 34-year-old, who is in the second season of a six-year, $90 million contract, has been barely a league-average hitter since the start of 2021 (104 OPS+), thanks in large part to injuries. He battled through a hernia throughout the second half of last season, which really dragged down his production.

LeMahieu has made at least 30 appearances at first, second and third base this season. However, with him now joining first baseman Anthony Rizzo on the IL, and with third baseman Josh Donaldson currently on the paternity list, the Yankees have had to depend on rookies and castoffs to fill out their infield recently. For instance, their lineup for Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader versus the Twins featured former Rangers prospect Ronald Guzman at first base, everyday shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa moving over to third, and rookie Oswald Peraza taking over at short. The Yankees have called up infielder/outfielder Miguel Andujar in a corresponding move.

With Giancarlo Stanton also dealing with a left foot/ankle injury, the AL East leaders are really banged up heading into an extremely important home series against the Tampa Bay Rays, beginning Friday. The Rays trail the Yanks by only five games (four in the loss column) entering Thursday. The Rays took two of three games from the Yanks last weekend in St. Petersburg.