Yankees Injury Update: Marcus Stroman’s IL status remains uncertain with knee issue; DJ LeMahieu progressing toward rehab assignment

New York Yankees Slugger DJ LeMahieu & Pitcher Marcus Stroman. Source: Imagn

The New York Yankees have been battling despite coming into the season with a handful of guys banged up. Gerrit Cole is done for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil was diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain in February.

They have also been without DJ LeMahieu this season, as the slugger suffered a calf strain ahead of spring training. However, the slugger is getting closer to making his 2025 season debut.

Bronx Bombers fans received some good news regarding the three-time All-Star. He will take live batting practice in Tampa, and that could progress into a rehab assignment soon after.

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While the Yanks have some news surrounding LeMahieu's injury, Marcus Stroman's future is still unclear. Stroman reported feeling pain in his left knee following his start against the San Francisco Giants.

Manager Aaron Boone has not come to a decision on whether to place Stroman on the IL or not. Even before the injury, Stroman had been struggling and had not looked like himself.

His velocity is at a career low, and he has had trouble finding the strike zone. A move to the IL just for him to figure things out could be what the Yankees decide, especially with another pitcher soon returning.

Marcus Stroman's injury could open up the Yankees' rotation for a returning starter

New York Yankees - Clarke Schmidt (Photo via IMAGN)

Clarke Schmidt was another pitcher the Yankees saw get injured ahead of the season. He landed on the IL with right rotator cuff tendinitis but is nearing his return to the rotation, which could be huge.

Schmidt made his second rehab start for Double-A Somerset on Thursday. He was great in his outing, throwing four scoreless innings on 61 pitches, with 45 of those being strikes.

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Last year, Schmidt proved to be a vital part of the rotation. He started 16 games, compiling a 5-5 record with a 2.85 ERA across 85.1 innings of work. He was also used in Game 3 of the World Series.

Before Stroman's injury, Carlos Carrasco or Will Warren were thought to be the odd man out of the rotation when Schmidt returned. However, this now opens a door for Stroman to go to the IL and give him a chance to bounce back.

Luis Gil is also nearing his return. The Rookie of the Year pitcher will start his throwing program on Monday. But he will need a bit of time to ramp his arm back up after missing all of spring training. Insiders have pointed to a return in June.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom