NEW YORK -- DJ LeMahieu's early-season performance has sparked discussion that he could be the Yankees’ first batting champion since Bernie Williams hit .339 in 1998. That comes as little surprise to hitting coach Marcus Thames, who witnessed the infielder’s workmanlike consistency throughout baseball’s four-month shutdown. When play halted in March Joe DiMaggio Jersey, LeMahieu was one of several Yankees who opted to remain at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla. Thames lives in nearby Clearwater and commuted to the facility regularly, snapping on surgical gloves to lob fastballs that LeMahieu peppered around the diamond. "He’s prepared," Thames said. "You just let him get his work in every single day. He knows what he's trying to do. If something's off, I'll give him a key here and there, but you just let him play. He knows what he's trying to do. His swing is so simple. He can repeat it and put barrel to baseball all the time. That's the sign of success." LeMahieu entered play on Saturday having hit safely in 16 of his 18 games this season, but he sustained a sprained left thumb on a swing in the Yankees' 11-5 win over the Red Sox and was forced to exit early. LeMahieu, who is batting an American League-best .411 (30-for-73) with two homers and eight RBIs, has compiled eight multihit games, including four contests with at least three hits. Earlier this week Jorge Posada Jersey, LeMahieu was asked if his success has been surprising in any respect. "I work really hard," LeMahieu said. "I try to put myself in the best spots to succeed, so when success happens -- I don't say I expect it, but I also am prepared and expect to succeed. Sometimes you just kind of look back after a certain period of time and you’re like, 'Wow, I can't believe I did that.'" Going back to his time with the Rockies, one of LeMahieu’s calling cards has been an ability to drive the ball to right-center field. Like Derek Jeter, LeMahieu is a right-handed hitter with a knack for hitting the ball to the opposite field, seemingly at will. "He stays inside the ball really well Lou Gehrig Jersey," Thames said. "Guys are trying to pitch him in and he'll spoil that pitch; he'll foul it off if it's two strikes. Early in the count, he's trying to get a pitch that he can drive in the middle of the ballpark. But if they come inside, his bat path plays that he can get the barrel to the inside part of the baseball and have success that way." Ready to launch Aroldis Chapman reported no issues after tossing 25 pitches to hitters on Friday at the Yankees' alternate training site in Moosic, Pa., and manager Aaron Boone said that the left-hander is on track to rejoin the bullpen in the next day or two. "He looked good," Boone said. "I feel like he’s probably ready to go, or at least close. We’ll have those conversations about what the next step is, but I feel like he’s about ready." In Chapman's absence Luke Voit Jersey, Zack Britton has excelled as the interim closer, converting all seven of his save chances entering play on Saturday and permitting only one run in 7 1/3 innings (1.23 ERA). Behind the scenes Aaron Judge is continuing to receive treatment on his right calf strain as the club remains hopeful that the slugger’s stint on the injured list will be brief. Boone said that Judge will receive treatment on Saturday and Sunday while incorporating lower body workouts in the weight room, with hopes of reintroducing baseball activities on Monday. "He’s feeling pretty good," Boone said. "We’re hoping that this goes well and is a short amount of time."Pep talk Miguel Andújar was bypassed in favor of Clint Frazier during the Yankees’ recent roster shuffle. Thames said that he spoke to the 25-year-old this weekend and reported that Andújar has carried a positive attitude into his work at the alternate training site. "When you get sent down, it's a hard thing for guys," Thames said. "You can take it two ways: you can go down there and work, or you can pout and stay in a rut. He's smiling and he's down there working hard every single day on both sides of the ball, just trying to make sure he's ready when we need him." Andújar, who missed most of last season due to a right shoulder injury that required surgery to repair a labrum tear, logged one hit in 14 at-bats (.071) this season. "He just didn't get enough consistent at-bats Mariano Rivera Jersey," Thames said. "He's still a really good hitter. We believe that. He's shown that. He's just got to get a chance to play."NEW YORK -- The Yankees leaned heavily upon the offensive contributions of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton through the season’s first several weeks, and with those sluggers now on the injured list, a different duo is stepping up to shoulder the load. Gleyber Torres drove in two runs as part of a four-hit performance and Gary Sánchez belted a 457-foot homer to the left-center-field bleachers to help the Yankees remain undefeated in seven games at Yankee Stadium this season with a 10-3 victory over the Red Sox on Friday. "I’m just trying to do what I did last year," Torres said. "It doesn't matter if I have a bad day; I just try to enjoy every day and just believe in the player I can be. If I don't have a good day hitting, I just try to focus on defense and help my team in a different way."Hours after Judge landed on the injured list with a strained right calf, those slumbering Bombers broke out to back Gerrit Cole as the Yanks logged their seventh consecutive win over the Red Sox (since Sept. 7, 2019), their longest such streak in the rivalry since 2001. "It's always going to feel good, any time you have an opportunity to help the team," Sánchez said through a translator. "The two-run shot there definitely felt good. The distance doesn't matter; if it goes over the wall, that's all that matters." Registering his fourth victory in five Yankees starts, Cole notched his 20th consecutive winning decision dating to May 27, 2019, tied for the third-longest streak in Major League history. How locked in was Cole? He didn’t even realize Judge was missing until the second inning. "I think I asked Gary in the second inning where Aaron was," Cole said. "Some teammate I am, I guess, huh? Geez. I spoke to him briefly during the game and he seemed to be in good spirits. It’s a little bit of a blow, but we have a good next man up mentality here."Torres singled in the first inning and doubled home two runs in the third off Boston starter Colten Brewer. Torres singled in the fifth off Ryan Brasier, scoring on a Mike Tauchman double. Sánchez followed with his titanic homer, the backstop’s third of the season, and Torres added a single as part of a three-run seventh inning. "Those guys are capable of going out and having a really strong night like they did tonight," manager Aaron Boone said. "We’ve got to pick up the slack a little bit for [Judge and Stanton] while they're down. Nothing changes as far as expectations. We expect to go out and be an offensive force."
