Yankees: DJ LeMahieu Makes Glorious Return to Lineup Sunday

The New York Yankees will start DJ LeMahieu on Sunday night against the Mets.

DJ LeMahieu arrived at Yankees camp this week, promising he was near game-ready, and would only need limited reps to prepare himself for Opening Day.

Just a few short days later, he’s got a golden opportunity to prove it.

LeMahieu is leading off for the Yankees on Sunday night in the Bronx, the first name in a star-studded lineup for their second of three exhibitions.

The New York Yankees lineup is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Mets.

Aaron Judge makes his “exhibition” debut in the No. 2 hole, after sitting out Saturday’s opener at Citi Field. Aaron Hicks, Gary Sanchez, Luke Voit, and Brett Gardner will also make their first appearances during the shortened Summer Camp slate, quelling any misguided worries fans may have had on Saturday night.

Matt Duffy, a potentially valuable utility contributor, is getting some run at third, and Jordan Montgomery gets a chance to strut his stuff on the bump.

As for the Mets, Jeff McNeil returns (for whatever reason), and much of the remainder of the lineup looks a lot like Saturday’s. Prospect Corey Oswalt gets the start.

LeMahieu is known as The Machine for a reason — once he’s revved up and unleashed, his approach looks quite robotic and emotionless. It’s just line drive after line drive, his entire body preaching functionality over flash.

Many fans were (rightfully) worried that repeated positive coronavirus diagnoses would throw off his progress, but we should’ve known. Per LeMahieu himself, his ordeal was never-ending, featuring alternating positives and negatives, but he battled an asymptomatic case, never understanding why he’d been sidelined.

Now back and healthy, LeMahieu has a chance to set a record for shortest sprint from 0 to 60 in recent training history. If he truly can roll out of bed and hit, Yankees fans will surely find out Saturday night.