Yankees' DJ LeMahieu leaves game due to thumb sprain

Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu left Sunday night’s game due to what the team announced as a sprained left thumb. LeMahieu will undergo tests to determine the extent of the injury.

The injury seemed to occur during a fourth-inning at-bat, as LeMahieu was visited by trainers after swinging at a Nathan Eovaldi pitch. LeMahieu finished his plate appearance and then played second base in the top of the fifth, although not before another on-field visit from trainers and manager Aaron Boone. LeMahieu finished the inning, but Tyler Wade replaced him at the keystone in the sixth.

After an injury-plagued 2019 season, the Yankees have again been hit with several notable health problems this season, including with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton currently sidelined. Losing LeMahieu would be another significant blow, as the second baseman entered Saturday’s action with a .429/.474/.557 slash line over his first 76 plate appearances. Leading the AL in batting average, OBP and hits thus far, LeMahieu is on pace to top even his outstanding numbers from his 2019 debut season in the Bronx.

Wade and Thairo Estrada would be the top choices at second base if LeMahieu is out, plus veteran infielder Matt Duffy is at the Yankees’ alternate training site. While it’s too early to know whether LeMahieu will even require an IL placement let alone miss significant time, the lack of second base depth represents a potential area of focus for the Bombers at the trade deadline should LeMahieu indeed face any sort of extended absence.