Injuries & Moves: LeMahieu hitting, but rehab games not imminent
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May 5: INF DJ LeMahieu hitting, but rehab assignment not imminent
LeMahieu started hitting on Saturday and Sunday, the first time he had done so since his rehab assignment was paused on April 23.
But a return to game action does not appear imminent for the veteran infielder, who has not played yet this season as he recovers from a non-displaced fracture in his right foot. Manager Aaron Boone said before Sunday's series finale against the Tigers that he didn't think LeMahieu would be going back out on a new rehab assignment during the coming week.
"He hit a little bit yesterday and today, but I don't know if he's that close to being ready for a rehab," Boone said.
LeMahieu had previously just been throwing and doing dynamic warmups on the field at Yankee Stadium.
May 4: 3B Jon Berti reinstated from IL; OF Taylor Trammell designated for assignment
Berti was activated before Saturday's game against the Tigers, and to make room for the infielder's return, Trammell was designated for assignment.
The veteran infielder last played on April 10, when he sustained a left adductor injury while running to first base. Berti played a complete rehab game with Double-A Somerset on Thursday and came through it well, according to manager Aaron Boone.
Trammell, who was claimed off waivers from the Dodgers on April 18, recorded a walk and two runs in two plate appearances with the Yankees.
May 4: RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow discomfort) begins throwing off mound
Cole threw off a mound Saturday for the first time since landing on the injured list during Spring Training. He threw 15 pitches, all fastballs, and reported no issues afterward.
Cole and the Yankees will now see how his elbow recovers in the coming days before mapping out next steps. The discomfort Cole reported in mid-March stemmed from lingering soreness after starts.
Even after he starts throwing off a mound, Cole is expected to need at least a four- to six-week Spring Training-style rampup before he's ready to return to the Yankees' rotation. Manager Aaron Boone and Cole maintain they don’t have a specific timeline for Cole at this stage.
10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST
INF DJ LeMahieu (non-displaced fracture of right foot)
Expected return: Possibly May
LeMahieu has resumed baseball activities, according to manager Aaron Boone, after reporting to Yankee Stadium on May 1 and telling the club’s training staff that he was "feeling great." LeMahieu started hitting on May 4, and he was previously throwing and doing dynamic warmups moving around the field.
There is not yet a set timeframe for LeMahieu's return even though he has started baseball activities.
"With the time he's missed now, it's about -- when we get to the point of getting back in games -- how many games does he need?" Boone said. "So we'll see."
Boone said on May 5 that he doesn't think a new rehab assignment is imminent for LeMahieu but doesn't know exactly how close LeMahieu is to reaching that stage.
LeMahieu has yet to play in a big league game this season after sustaining a non-displaced fracture of his right foot on a March 16 foul ball. He first began a rehab assignment on April 23, but that was shut down after only one inning when LeMahieu experienced soreness in his foot.
Boone said on May 1 that no re-imaging will be necessary for LeMahieu because "it’s a tolerance thing at this point." (Last updated: May 5)
RHP Nick Burdi (right hip inflammation)
Expected return: May
Burdi is set to begin his Minor League rehab assignment and will pitch one inning with Double-A Somerset on May 5, according to manager Aaron Boone. He is expected to need only one or two rehab outings before he is able to return to the Yankees' bullpen.
The right-hander threw from a bullpen mound on April 30 in Somerset, N.J., and the session was said to have gone well, per Boone. Burdi spoke with Boone, who relayed that the hurler is "champing at the bit" to return to game action.
Burdi received an injection on April 22 after feeling discomfort near the end of an April 16 appearance at Toronto. Boone said that because of Burdi's lengthy injury history, club medical personnel were wary of the hurler overcompensating in his delivery, which could lead to an arm issue. (Last updated: May 3)
RHP Tommy Kahnle (right shoulder inflammation)
Expected return: Possibly May
Kahnle is nearing a rehab assignment. He is expected to need only one or two more live batting practice sessions before pitching in Minor League games, manager Aaron Boone said on May 3.
The right-hander will throw the first of those live sessions on May 4. After that, the Yankees will determine whether he is ready to proceed directly to rehab outings or needs one more live BP first.
Kahnle tossed 15 pitches over one simulated inning on April 27 in Tampa, Fla., according to Boone, which represented his first time doing so since Spring Training. Boone said that he has exchanged text messages with Kahnle, who is said to be "pretty excited about where he’s at now physically. He feels like it’s getting to where it needs to be."
Kahnle was slow-played during the spring after right shoulder inflammation ended his 2023 season and delayed his winter throwing program until Dec. 12. Though Kahnle was aiming to rejoin the Yankees when eligible on April 9, he experienced soreness after a throwing session on or around April 1, prompting the club to delay him further. (Last updated: May 3)
INF Oswald Peraza (right sub-scapular strain)
Expected return: Possibly May
Peraza is “deep into his throwing program” and has been hitting at the Yankees’ complex in Tampa, Fla., manager Aaron Boone said on April 21, but he is still a couple of weeks away from playing in Minor League games. Peraza began throwing regularly during the first week of April following his injury issues, which began as tightness in his shoulder on Feb. 25. Peraza briefly returned to Spring Training action in early March, but the issue persisted when he threw across the diamond. (Last updated: April 21)
60-DAY IL
RHP Gerrit Cole (right elbow discomfort)
Expected return: Possibly June
Cole resumed throwing off a mound on May 4 at Yankee Stadium, throwing 15 fastballs in a significant step in his recovery from right elbow discomfort. The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner is expected to need at least four to six weeks to ramp up once he begins pitching, and the Yankees do not have a specific timetable for their ace yet.
“I think everyone in this room understands Gerrit, who he is, how much he loves what he does, and obviously, how good he is at it,” manager Aaron Boone said on May 4. “So it’s just the process of getting back, another step along the way to getting him back. Glad we were able to get to this point today. Onward and upward.”
Cole underwent an MRI on March 11 after relaying difficulty bouncing back between his spring outings, likening his level of fatigue to what he usually would feel after throwing 100 pitches during the regular season. Cole had more testing performed on March 12, then visited Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on March 14. ElAttrache confirmed that there was no damage to Cole’s ulnar collateral ligament.
Cole increased his throwing to 120 feet on April 23 at Yankee Stadium and said that he felt "good." He threw again April 27 and 30. (Last updated: May 4)
OF Jasson Domínguez (right UCL tear)
Expected return: June or July
Domínguez has increased his throwing to 135 feet at the Yankees’ complex in Tampa, Fla., manager Aaron Boone said on April 26, and is “probably a few weeks away” from playing in Minor League rehab games.
“I just know he’s doing well and getting close to being ready to do some things,” Boone said.
Domínguez was diagnosed with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Sept. 10, 2023. He underwent Tommy John surgery 10 days later, which included the addition of internal bracing. Dr. Keith Meister performed the procedure in Arlington. He resumed hitting right-handed on Feb. 26, then began taking swings from both sides of the plate in mid-March. (Last updated: April 26)
RHP Lou Trivino (recovery from Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: Summer 2024
Trivino is about two weeks away from beginning live batting practice sessions, manager Aaron Boone said on April 21. Boone remarked that Trivino has been “doing really well,” noting that his bullpen sessions during Spring Training were encouraging. Trivino is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed on May 3, 2023. (Last updated: April 21)
RHP Scott Effross (Tommy John surgery, back surgery)
Expected return: Summer 2024
Effross underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2022 and began a throwing program on March 6, 2023. According to manager Aaron Boone, Effross began experiencing back discomfort in the fall, which prompted a microdiscectomy of his L-4 and L-5 vertebrae in December. Boone said on April 21 that Effross has been “doing pretty well,” though his recovery has been marked by a few minor hiccups. (Last updated: April 21)
RHP Jonathan Loáisiga (right UCL tear)
Expected return: 2025
Loáisiga said on April 6 that he has a torn UCL and needs season-ending surgery. Dr. Keith Meister will perform the procedure, which Loáisiga said has an estimated recovery time of 10 to 12 months. Loáisiga was placed on the 60-day injured list on April 5, retroactive to April 4. (Last updated: April 6)