New York Yankees Eye Emergency Reunion? DJ LeMahieu Injury Puts Bombers in Difficult Position

Could the warmth of Spring ignite heat in some cold relationships? The New York Yankees certainly wish it could because right now, they need help. Their primary third base and leadoff hitter DJ LeMahieu’s injury report has continued to become concerning. Earlier he was deemed “fine” but slowly it’s becoming clearer that LeMahieu might miss the start of the regular season. With the Yankees having a severe shortage of infielders, does anyone else hear the theme song of Gio Urshela playing? 

As Jim Ross used to say “Bah Gawd! It’s Happening!” Could the Yankees actually be going for Urshela? The former Yankee was linked with the Pinstripes until he signed with the Detroit Tigers for just $1.5 million. A trade could turn things around for the Bombers, however, there are still a few roadblocks that they’ll have to traverse.

DJ LeMahieu’s injury poses a serious question for the Yankees 

LeMahieu’s been under a Doctor’s care since he fouled off a ball on his right foot. LeMahieu has remained optimistic about his return but his previous injury record has scared the Yankees. Manager Aaron Boone had revealed that the hitter had a “pretty significant” bone bruise on his right foot. Previously in 2022, LeMahieu broke a bone in his right big toe and tore a ligament in his second toe.

As a result, his entire 2023 was spent struggling to get back in shape. LeMahieu’s season was way below his usual level with his swinging mechanics taking a hit. So naturally the Yankees are taking things slow with their $90 million star. However, this has raised a huge problem in the Bombers’ lineup. 

With Oswaldo Peraza already injured, the team lacks a good cover for LeMahieu. While Oswaldo Cabrera can play in the third base, the Bronx Bombers might want one more player there. Perhaps that’s why the Yankees Beat writer Bryan Hoch wondered whether Gio Urshela could be brought back to The Bronx’s side.

Urshela was quite a fan favorite during his three seasons with the Yankees. However, trading him back won’t be so easy. After all, he had rejected the Bronx Bombers for the Tigers this offseason. Even more importantly, Urshela seems to be excelling in the Tigers shirt.

How the Gio Urshela quest is shaping up to be

According to Baseball-Reference Urshela is averaging .317 in the Spring Training till now. With 13 hits and 3 runs, the slugger looks to be in fine form. However, his positional rival Andy Ibanez has been on a roll as well. With 4 homers in 8 hits, Ibanez seems ahead of Urshela. That’s one reason why a trade looks possible as Urshela’s chief reason for declining Yankees was that he felt he won’t be starting for them anytime soon.

But with LeMahieu’s injury, the door is wide open for Urshela. With just a $1.5 million salary, he won’t be a huge burden on the Bronx Bombers’ payroll. All of this points towards the possibility of the trade. Perhaps a reunion could be in place for now.

Read more: Aaron Boone Admires Gio Urshela’s ‘Valuable’ Role, Despite Yankees Moving On Without Him