The New York Yankees placed DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list due to a hip injury, and recalled top prospect Jasson Domínguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
LeMahieu was placed on the injured list due to a right hip impingement, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone stated that the struggling infielder may not return this season.
“It’s been on his mind for the past few weeks. He’s been getting treatment for that,” Boone explained. “It’s kind of better some days, worse the others.”
LeMahieu, 36, a two-time batting champion, is currently hitting.204 with two home runs and 26 RBIs in 67 games. He missed New York’s first 55 games due to a slow-healing injury in his right foot.
LeMahieu batted.243 with 15 homers and 44 RBIs in 136 games last season and is currently batting.231 after earning his second batting title during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Boone said Domínguez is a welcome addition to the lineup and will play centre field and bat sixth Monday when New York opens a three-game series against Kansas City at Yankee Stadium. They have a half-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.
“I think you know my thoughts on him,” Boone remarked. “I’ve been a huge fan ever since I met him. Just love his makeup, his talent and he’s earned this opportunity.”
Domínguez was not initially called up when rosters increased to 28 players on Sept. 1. Domínguez will also receive time in left field, where he has played once with the Yankees and in 58 games in his minor league career.
Domínguez joins the Yankees three days after GM Brian Cashman indicated the team was sticking with Alex Verdugo in left. Verdugo is hitting .235 with 11 homers and 56 RBIs in 137 games this season and .302 (13 for 43) in his last 12 games.
Domínguez made his season debut and went 0 for 4 as New York’s 27th man against the Detroit Tigers in the Little League Classic last month. The 21-year-old hit .314 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 58 games across three minor league levels.
Signed for a $5.1 million bonus as a 16-year-old in 2019, Domínguez batted .258 with four homers and seven RBIs in eight games with the Yankees from Sept. 1-9, 2023, before breaking a ligament in his throwing arm. He underwent surgery in September and then damaged his oblique on a checked swing on June 15.
Since returning from the oblique injury July 26, Domínguez batted .309 with seven homers and 25 RBIs in 44 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“Like I said on Sept. 1 when we didn’t initially recall Jasson, he’s in the conversation every single day,” Boone said. “I think as much as anything, it’s just continuing to build the momentum he’s built here over the last few weeks, where we feel like, especially the last couple of weeks, really starting to be in the peak of the season and play at a high level. So he’s been hammering on that door since he got back and this looked like the time to bring him.”
In other changes by the Yankees, Jon Berti was activated from the injured list after the utilityman missed 90 games with a left calf injury. Acquired in a spring training trade with the Miami Marlins, Berti hit .273 with one homer and six RBIs in 17 games before fainting in pain a few feet out of the batter’s box in San Diego on May 24.
The Yankees also designated reliever Anthony Misiewicz for assignment. The southpaw participated in one game with the New York this season and was 3-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 44 appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
