Yankees' DJ LeMahieu benched amid season-long slump

NEW YORK -- Back in March, the New York Yankees were resolute that DJ LeMahieu would bat leadoff in front of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. They were confident that the two-time batting champion would rebound from three subpar, injury-plagued seasons.

Four months later, after battling a major foot injury and almost daily struggles at the plate, LeMahieu is far from the table-setter the Yankees envisioned. He was on the bench for Sunday's 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, with Oswaldo Cabrera getting the start at third base and going 2-for-4.

LeMahieu, in the fourth year of a six-year deal worth $90 million, has been one of the worst-hitting regular players in the majors since rejoining the Yankees in late May and has recently been New York's No. 9 hitter, at the bottom of a lineup desperate for steady production beyond Soto and Judge.

LeMahieu, 35, entered Sunday batting .177 with a .471 on-base plus slugging percentage in 39 games.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Sunday's game that LeMahieu could be out of the lineup next week as well.

"We'll see," Boone said. "Get through today, and we'll see where we're at."

Boone hinted Friday that LeMahieu would not start Sunday's series finale. But Boone then said Saturday that he believed LeMahieu has "earned" the right to play through a slump that has lasted two months.

"It sucks. It's not fun," LeMahieu said. "I will say our team's a special team. Showing up with a special team, a special group keeps me going, for sure."

LeMahieu has been even worse over the past month, slashing .156/.250/.203 with three extra-base hits. The performance has drawn scorn from fans who showered him with boos both Friday and Saturday, when he went a combined 0-for-7 with two strikeouts.

"I mean, it hasn't given me much hope the last month or so," LeMahieu said. "As long as I've played this game, whatever challenge has presented itself, I've always come out of it, one way or another. So it's just keep showing up and keep working and it's gotten me a lot of success in my career."

LeMahieu missed the first month of the season with a fracture in his right foot after he fouled a pitch off the foot during a spring training game in March. But just as he has done since joining the Yankees, LeMahieu insisted Sunday that he is healthy.

"I feel good," he said. "I feel good enough to do my job."

The production hasn't been good enough for a club with championship aspirations in a battle for the American League East title with the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees are exploring upgrades at third base, among other areas, before the July 30 trade deadline, according to league sources.

"I'm not going to speak on that," LeMahieu said. "But I know I definitely want to add as many good players as we can because, like I said, we got a special group."