DJ LeMahieu was again in the lineup Saturday, in the nine-hole, a long way from where he was a few years ago when he was among the best hitters in the game.
Prior to the game against the Rays in The Bronx, Aaron Boone said the 36-year-old had “earned” the right to try to work his way out of his lengthy slump.
“We’ve got to find out and keep running him out there,” Boone said. “He’s earned that and with where we are right now roster-wise, we’ve got to give him that opportunity to lock in. And if we can do that, then we know we’ve got a really good hitter on our hands.
“He’s gonna continue to get opportunities here.”
Boone said the switch-hitting Oswaldo Cabrera will get some playing time at third base against righties — including possibly Sunday.
LeMahieu said he’s frustrated and continuing to work at the plate, where he entered Saturday without a hit since July 9, having gone 0-for-14 in his previous four games.
Asked if he was confident LeMahieu was “100 percent healthy,” Boone said, “I believe he’s healthy. He’s just grinding.”
Of the latest slump, Boone said, “He’s had some games where he’s hit into tough luck, but he’s still putting the ball on the ground some. He’s battling, especially for a guy, a hitter, of his caliber, I think he’s just working to get to that spot.”
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Asked what gives him confidence that LeMahieu can do that, Boone said, “Because he’s still got that great swing. We’re just hoping he can find that groove.”
In the meantime, LeMahieu began hearing it from the Stadium crowd during Friday’s win, when he grounded out four times.
“That part is the least of his concerns,’’ Boone said. “He’s trying to get line drives consistently. He’s pretty stoic and professional. I’m sure it’s weighing on him to some degree.”
For now, the Yankees believe that LeMahieu is their best option at third base, but with the July 30 trade deadline just over a week away, that could change.
LeMahieu said the deadline is not on his mind and Boone declined to predict how potential moves could change his role.
“We’ll see,’’ Boone said. “You never know how things go, so I’m not gonna speculate.”