After smacking a two-out, two-run double in a huge fourth inning on Wednesday, is the DJ LeMahieu that Yankee fans have been accustomed to seeing finally back?
After two straight MVP-caliber seasons to begin his tenure in pinstripes, LeMahieu, like the bulk of the Yankee offense, started slow in 2021. At this time last week, the veteran infielder was hitting .264 with a .716 OPS, far from the look of The Machine in 2019 and 2020, the latter year coming with ownership of the batting title.
But over the last week, LeMahieu has shown signs of getting back to his previous hitting output, spraying singles at machine-like levels to boost his average up to .277 and providing a much-needed steady bat at the top of the lineup.
“I feel like the last few days, he’s been getting closer to being the DJ we all know,” Aaron Boone said after Tuesday’s victory. “Hopefully he’s starting to roll a little bit.”
LeMahieu also added a hard-hit sacrifice fly on Wednesday to finish the night with three RBI, nearly 25 percent of his total all season. With the Yankees in danger of losing a chance to grab a lead after tying the game at three apiece in the fourth inning, LeMahieu laced an opposite-field double down the right field line to cap off a five-run frame for the Yanks, who had been starved for a big inning on the offensive side.
“Just a lot of really good at-bats up and down the lineup,” LeMahieu said. “Seemed like everyone had a good at-bat that inning. It was good timing. They just put up three runs, so for us to come back and put up five the way we did, I thought it says a lot about our offense.”
LeMahieu hopes his past week at the plate says a lot about the direction he is headed. In his last five games, totaling 23 plate appearances, he is .368 with an .856 OPS, striking out three times against three walks. Those numbers are much closer to his 2019 and 2020 output, which earned him a six-year deal to stay in New York.
“Every year is different,” LeMahieu said. “Sometimes you go up to the plate and feel like you can get a hit left handed and other times it’s a grind. I’ve got a lot of season left and hopefully can put together a lot of good at-bats.”
With Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton out, LeMahieu is one of the only remaining bats from the typical top third of the Yankee lineup. A return to 2020 form is needed now more than ever if the Yanks want to cement themselves atop the AL East, and LeMahieu hopes his recent string of production means The Machine is once again operational.
“I feel good,” LeMahieu said. “I feel better. I’m usually not one of those hitters that goes 20-25 with 10 homers, it’s just consistently good at-bats, and I feel like over the last week I’ve felt good and hope to continue that.”
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