The New York Yankees announced their American League Division Series roster in advance of Tuesday's Game 1 against the Cleveland Guardians, and linchpin infielder DJ LeMahieu was not on it because of a lingering foot injury:
Our 26 for the ALDS. #RepBX pic.twitter.com/VghxVtoTbJ
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 11, 2022
Joel Sherman has some additional context on LeMahieu's injury, which has, in various forms, affected him for much of the second half of the 2022 season:
LeMahieu left off DS roster Source told me he has a foot fracture that resonates into the toes, making it difficult to pivot, among other things, to swing Tried various remedies, including multiple orthotics. Not ruled out if NYY advance. But difficult road to play again this yr.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 11, 2022
"That's one of the things obviously we're waiting on," manager Aaron Boone said on Monday of LeMahieu's status before the roster decision was made. "I feel like he was still compromised. That's what I was seeing. We want to see how he is today and what he's able to do, and make that determination."
Boone also said that, while surgery is not expected to be necessary, the injury isn't expected to fully heal until LeMahieu is able to rest it fully this coming offseason. LeMahieu's injury is being officially categorized as inflammation of the right second toe, but as Sherman's tweet above suggests that nomenclature may somewhat undersell the seriousness of it.
LeMahieu in this, his age-33 season has batted .261/.357/.377 (111 OPS+) with 12 home runs in 125 games and time spent at first base, second, and third. If there's any consolation for the Yankees, it's that veteran lefty slugger Matt Carpenter, whose retooled swing helped him put up huge numbers in 47 games for New York earlier this season, is on the roster for the ALDS. He's freshly returned form a foot fracture that had sidelined him since early August.
Speaking of Yankee injuries heading into the ALDS, their bullpen remains a major source of concern.
