MIAMI — Barring a late setback, DJ LeMahieu will return to the Yankees lineup on Monday to kick off a series against the Braves.
LeMahieu sat out a fourth straight game Sunday because of right calf tightness.
He said he felt good enough to play in the series finale against the Marlins, but the Yankees opted to give him one more day to be safe.
“In my mind, I was ready to go today,” LeMahieu said before the Yankees fell to the Marlins in crushing fashion, 8-7, at loanDepot Park. “So [Monday], unless something happens today.”
The veteran infielder has been sidelined since Wednesday, when he first started feeling his calf “grabbing” on him while he took swings in the cage.
But it has since “calmed down,” LeMahieu said, and he has been able to go through pregame workouts each day this weekend.
Before the calf issue popped up, LeMahieu was hitting .309 with a .824 OPS over his past 23 games after going through an extended slump.
“It’s just frustrating no matter what,” he said. “I want to be out there. I take pride in being out there.”
Marlins third baseman Jake Burger went 7-for-12 in the series, including the walk-off single on Sunday against Tommy Kahnle.
He came to the plate with runners on the corners and one out in a tie game — with Bryan De La Cruz taking second base on defensive indifference on the first pitch to Burger — but manager Aaron Boone said he did not consider intentionally walking Burger to set up a double play.
“Not to bring the walk in play with [Jorge] Soler coming up next,” Boone said.
After throwing a bullpen session that was the equivalent of two innings on Saturday — his first since suffering a hamstring strain last week — Carlos Rodon will head to Tampa this week to throw a simulated game at the Yankees’ player development complex.
If that session goes well, it could set up Rodon to be activated off the injured list as soon as he is eligible (Aug. 22 against the Nationals).
The Yankees will have their hands full beginning on Monday when they take on a Braves lineup that just got done obliterating the Mets.
“They’re a heavyweight,” Boone said. “They obviously have a tremendous, tremendous lineup. A number of guys in the middle of great campaigns. Probably about as good an offense as you’re going to come across. We know we’ll have our work cut out for us there.”
Assistant hitting coach Brad Wilkerson was ejected in the top of the eighth inning after Anthony Volpe struck out looking at a borderline pitch that appeared to clip the strike zone. … The three-game series drew a total crowd of 100,001, which marked the highest attendance for a three-game Marlins series in loanDepot Park history.
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