The team also announced that infielder DJ LeMahieu is beginning a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset. The former batting champion was sidelined in March after suffering a left calf strain. The team has said they anticipate his return sometime near the end of April. Yankees Address Bullpen by Signing Tyler Matzek Necessary Lefty Before promoting Matzek, the Yankees had only one left-handed reliever in Tim Hill. This move will help diversify the bullpen and strengthen what has been one of MLB’s best pens. Last season, Matzek appeared in just 11 games for the Atlanta Braves, struggling mightily as he allowed 11 earned runs over 10 innings while allowing 16 hits. This doesn’t do him justice, however, as Matzek was very solid for Atlanta from 2020-2022 (2.92 ERA over 135 2/3 innings) before missing all of 2023 due to injury. Having suffered another injury this past winter, he will provide the bullpen with even more depth if he can stay healthy and pitch like he did just a few years ago. As for Gómez, it is just the unfortunate life of being a reliever. The right-hander has posted good numbers so far this season, pitching 10 innings and allowing just three runs. His demotion simply goes to show how deep the Yanks’ bullpen is and how much confidence they have in it. More Infield Problems Perhaps to the chagrin of Yankee fans, it appears third baseman DJ LeMahieu will be back on the roster very soon. LeMahieu, 36, had a career-worst year in ’24, posting a slash line of .204/.269/.259 with an OPS+ of 51 and just two home runs in 67 games. What’s worse, there is practically zero room for him on the major league roster. Presumably poised to start at third, this will limit the playing time of Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza and perhaps even Ben Rice. All three players are arguably more fit to be in the starting lineup than LeMahieu, though none of them are earning the $15 million annual salary that the Yankees are paying him. It will be interesting to see how the Yankees will try to fit in all of these players while consistently putting out the best lineup they could possibly produce.