New York is one step closer to reclaiming much-needed depth.
Despite a hazy injury report, the New York Yankees are off to a solid start in the 2024 Major League Baseball season. New York is 26-14, ranking second in the AL East. Moreover, Aaron Boone delivered hopeful reports on Jasson Dominguez and DJ LeMahieu during the team’s weekend Tampa Bay Rays series.
LeMahieu batted live off starting pitcher JT Brubaker on Saturday and will do so again on Tuesday, according to Boone and Gary Phillips. In addition, Jasson Dominguez will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Tampa on Tuesday or Wednesday. Seeing the two Yankees get closer to a return is a good indication.
DJ LeMahieu sustained a non-displaced right foot fracture after being struck by a foul ball on March 16th. As a result, his regular-season debut in 2024 has been pushed back. Once LeMahieu fully returns, he will provide useful depth for the Yankees.
LeMahieu had a successful year of productivity in 2023. He batted.243, drove in 44 runs, had an OPS of.718, and blasted 15 home runs, his most since 2019. He will be back in the lineup when he acquires live experience.
Meanwhile, Jasson Dominguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2023, and his rehabilitation is progressing well. He still has a lot of space for improvement after only one year in the Major Leagues with New York.
Dominguez batted.258 with four home runs and seven RBI, for a.980 OPS. The Yankees will be pleased to see the 21-year-old resume his progress once his recovery is completed.
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New York is set to continue their weekend war with the Rays. The Yankees defeated Tampa Bay 2-0 on Friday night and hope to carry their momentum into the remainder of the weekend. The matches will be crucial to New York’s lofty goals.
Yankees look to continue strong 2024 season start
The Yankees ended the 2023 season with an 82–80 record. They missed the MLB Playoffs for the first time since 2016. Nonetheless, their mediocre year appears to have sparked a renewed drive. So far, New York appears to be in good shape as the 2024 season gets underway.
Aaron Boone’s team struggled against the Orioles in early May, but they have worked hard to stay focused and execute. Boone feels that consistency is the key to keeping afloat during chilly spells.
“We’ve had some of those nights where we got shut down because there was a lot of traffic, but we didn’t get the big hit, and they kept us in the ballpark,” Boone told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic following the Yankees’ 4-2 defeat to the Orioles on April 30th. “We just have to keep giving ourselves opportunities like that and believe we’ll succeed. But I think we had a lot of excellent at-bats at the top.
New York has taken Boone’s advice to heart. They continue to give themselves a shot to win in the difficult American League East. They had just one fewer loss than the division-leading Orioles entering mid-May. With the encouraging injury report updates, the Yankees want to continue playing solid team ball and rising in the standings.
