DJ LeMahieu’s difficult season took another unfortunate turn on Friday when the Yankees infielder was scratched from the lineup after being struck in the face by a ball during pre-game warm-ups.
The Yankees announced that LeMahieu was pulled from the lineup due to a facial contusion, citing “precautionary” reasons. The decision came just 13 minutes before the first pitch of the series-opening game against the Rockies in The Bronx.
LeMahieu was practicing at first base when he was hit. He had just caught one ball when another struck him in the face. Immediately grabbing at his face, LeMahieu quickly made his way to the dugout, where he went down, clearly in pain.
Gleyber Torres, noticing the incident, rushed off the field to sit with LeMahieu, offering comfort by placing a hand on his shoulder while the team trainer attended to him. The trainer focused on LeMahieu’s jaw for several moments before the infielder walked under his own power down the tunnel and into the clubhouse.
LeMahieu was originally slated to bat ninth and play first base. His sudden exit led to Ben Rice stepping in as a replacement, marking a rare start for Rice against a left-handed pitcher, Kyle Freeland.
The incident adds to what has been a challenging season for the 36-year-old LeMahieu, who has been struggling at the plate during the worst year of his career. Typically only starting against left-handed pitchers, the two-time batting champion entered the game hitting just .189 with a .512 OPS, the third-worst in the league among players with at least 200 plate appearances.
LeMahieu has shown little sign of a resurgence, battling through foot and toe injuries over the past few seasons. His recent performance includes a dismal 2-for-19 stretch over his last six games and only two home runs in 62 games this season.
This season has been a painful one for LeMahieu, both figuratively and, as of Friday, literally.
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