Oswaldo Cabrera got the start at first base Saturday with another right-hander on the mound for St. Louis, meaning DJ LeMahieu was on the bench again in a 6-5 loss in The Bronx.
And with Anthony Rizzo expected to return to the Yankees lineup Sunday, and Jazz Chisolm Jr. seemingly entrenched at third base, it figures to become even harder for the slumping LeMahieu, who doesn’t have an extra-base hit since Aug. 8 — a span of 52 plate appearances.
Asked prior to Saturday’s game if he were worried about his future with the team, LeMahieu said, “I just have to keep going.”
“I’m not discouraged or feeling sorry for myself,” said LeMahieu, who has the fourth-lowest OPS in the majors among hitters with at least 220 plate appearances. “I’ve always made adjustments my whole career. This part of my career, it’s different adjustments. That doesn’t mean I’m gonna pack it in.”
And he expects to be a contributor going forward: “That’s where my mind is.”
LeMahieu added he’s fine with whatever role he has going forward and has had no conversations with the organization about what that might be with rosters set to expand Sunday with an added position player and pitcher.
“I’m all good,’’ LeMahieu said. “I haven’t played great. I want to help the team as much as I can, whatever way I can.”
That may be even more difficult now.
With two years and $30 million remaining on his deal after this season, the Yankees will have to ask themselves some difficult questions about the 36-year-old, whose offense has fallen off a cliff.
Going with Cabrera at first base for the second time this season shows where the lefty-swinging Ben Rice is at the plate, since the rookie has just one hit in his last 24 at-bats.
Rice can be sent back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre whenever Rizzo returns, but LeMahieu has also lost time at third base and Jon Berti could return from a calf strain at some point in the next week or so.
“I’m excited to have [Rizzo] back,’’ LeMahieu said. “I just have to keep going.”
He added he continues to make changes at the plate, to no avail.
“I’ve been saying all year, I feel I’m on to something and then I go backwards,” LeMahieu said. “The inconsistency is really difficult. I want to make adjustments, but I also want to make sure I’m ready to go in the box.”
