Yankees crush Red Sox again, lose DJ LeMahieu to sprained thumb
NEW YORK — How many MVP candidates can a baseball team lose without tanking their season?
After yet another major loss to their lineup — DJ LeMahieu sprained his thumb after an awkward swing in the team’s 11-5 rout of the Red Sox — the Yankees are testing the limits of their depth.
LeMahieu, who had so far succeeded his fourth-place AL MVP finish with a .411 batting average through the Yankees’ first 20 games, was sent for an MRI following the injury. He’s the third key injury, joining 2017 NL MVP Giancarlo Stanton and 2017 AL MVP runner-up Aaron Judge as top-of-the-lineup talents battling injuries. Though the team said his X-ray came back negative, he may head to the IL following upcoming MRI and CT scans.
From New York’s perspective, there are numerous silver linings. The Yankees (14-6) are in first place, but they don’t need to dominate when over half the league will play diluted October ball.
