After his second two-hit game in a week, DJ LeMahieu had a one-word assessment of his season: “Brutal.”
Most fans would agree with that assessment of LeMahieu, who turns 36 next week and has had toe and foot ailments for three seasons.
Aaron Boone said he looked poor on the basepaths in two recent games, suggesting he was “a little beat up.”
LeMahieu acknowledged that wasn't true before the Yankees' 3-0 series finale loss to the Red Sox in The Bronx on Sunday.
With two outs in the sixth, he launched a booming double to right-center, his third extra-base hit of the season, but he was stranded.
After missing the first two months of the season with a right foot fracture, LeMahieu has been one of the lineup's many concerns outside of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
Only Martin Maldonado of the White Sox and Jose Abreu, released by Houston last month, had a worse slugging percentage than LeMahieu's.210 heading into Sunday.
LeMahieu's slump has damaged an offense that needs more length beyond its two All-Star sluggers and Anthony Volpe early and Ben Rice late.