DJ LeMahieu is nearly ready to advance to rehab games.
The Yankees’ veteran third baseman, who has been out since the middle of March with a non-displaced fracture in his right foot, appears to be on track for a rehab assignment.
“DJ’s doing really well,” manager Aaron Boone said Saturday ahead of a doubleheader at Progressive Field. “He’s coming closer. It has been encouraging. Even just the other day [Wednesday], watching him take ground balls and swing the bat at the ballpark during the previous game versus Miami, he looks excellent and I believe he is feeling great. I know he’s starting to [champ] at the bit in preparation for some games. It has been encouraging for him in the previous few weeks.”
LeMahieu traveled here with the Yankees to continue increasing his workload and was among those who came to Progressive Field on Friday to work out despite the rain.
“He seems close, to me, to being able to get into some rehab games,” Boone told reporters. “Hopefully that’s coming soon.”
Boone has stated that lateral movement will be the most difficult hurdle for LeMahieu, but he has recently begun to include some of it into his running progression.
“I think it’s just continuing to do it on the daily and getting that next level of being able to cut real well and things like that well when he’s running,” Boone went on to say.
Boone said the training staff will determine how many rehab games LeMahieu would need before joining the Yankees.
The 35-year-old made 29 plate appearances during spring training before fouling a ball off his foot on March 16, and he has not participated in a game since.
“The biggest thing will be being able to handle a back-to-back and how does he bounce back from playing in five, seven or nine innings?” Boone stated.
Gerrit Cole (elbow nerve inflammation) played catch for the second time on Thursday in The Bronx, and Boone said it went well.
The Yankees ace is set to pitch again this weekend. Tommy Kahnle (shoulder) threw a bullpen session in Tampa on Friday, and “sounds like it went well,” according to Boone.
Luis Gil was available from the bullpen for Saturday’s doubleheader.
The right-hander was originally supposed to start on Saturday, but after Friday’s game was rescheduled for Saturday, the Yankees decided to call up Cody Poteet to start Game 2.
With six games in five days, the Yankees would require an extra starter at some point over the stretch.
This allows Poteet to be the 27th man, with Gil providing as an extra bullpen arm for length or in a “big inning,” according to Boone.
If Gil was not needed on Saturday, he would most likely start Monday’s series opener in Toronto.
If he pitches Saturday, he might be back in the rotation for Wednesday’s series finale against the Blue Jays.
