Yankees Notes: Latest on DJ LeMahieu, will Anthony Volpe bat leadoff?
The Yankees have gotten off to a scorching 9-2 start, all while not being at full strength.
It started with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and third baseman DJ LeMahieu being placed on the injured list prior to Opening Day.
As the 2024 season rolls on, manager Aaron Boone gave updates on both players and talked about Anthony Volpe ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Miami Marlins…
LeMahieu continues to make progress
Saturday, Boone said the team was encouraged by LeMahieu’s progress. Over the weekend, the infielder was taking live batting practice along with other baseball activities. On Tuesday, Boone said that LeMahieu started taking side-to-side grounders.
While taking defensive grounders is progress, Boone said there is still no rehab assignment planned as of yet.
LeMahieu was placed on the IL on Opening Day due to a foot injury he suffered after taking a foul ball off his foot in spring training. In his place, the combination of Oswaldo Cabrera and Jon Berti has taken up split duties at third base.
Latest on Cole
Cole was placed on the 60-day IL on Opening Day with an elbow injury he suffered after his first start of spring training but this latest update from Boone is promising.
According to Boone, Cole recovered from playing catch on Monday without a problem. He was not scheduled to throw again on Tuesday. Cole began to feel pain in his elbow after a start and was not recovering the way he did a season ago, which led to tests to determine if surgery was required.
While Cole won’t need surgery at this moment, it seems that rest and rehab is proving to be helpful for the reigning AL Cy Young winner.
Since he’s been placed on the IL, Cole won’t be able to rejoin the team until the end of May at the earliest.
Will Volpe hit leadoff for the Yankees?
The second-year shortstop is showing the results of his offensive adjustments, so much so that he’s consistently hitting in the No. 5 and 6 holes. But will he eventually hit leadoff for the Yankees? Boone seems to think so.
“When we look up in 10 years, that’s where his future is going to be, at the top of the lineup,” he said.
Through 10 games, Volpe is slashing .417/.488/.667 with two home runs and six RBI. He’s also struck out just nine times after amassing 167 strikeouts a season ago.
Volpe’s impressive early numbers are even being noticed by opposing managers as Marlins skipper Skip Schumaker had high praise for the shortstop.
“Volpe at shortstop is becoming a superstar in this league,” Schumaker said via the NY Post’s Jon Heyman.