YANKEES

Yankees injury updates: Jameson Taillon needs surgery, others should be ready for spring

Pete Caldera
MLB Writer

NEW YORK – Yankees starter Jameson Taillon is facing a five-month recovery period, following a scheduled surgery to repair his right ankle tendon.

According to general manager Brian Cashman, Taillon’s procedure will take place Oct. 28, and it would require five months until the right-hander is “fully operational and back’’ pitching in games.

Allowing for a delayed spring training, Taillon might expect to slot back into the Yankees’ 2022 rotation in May.

Taillon missed time in September due to the ankle injury but returned to make two starts – including 3.1 scoreless innings in a 1-0 win against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 162, clinching a wild card berth.

Acquired via trade last winter from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Taillon was coming off a rehab from a second Tommy John surgery and made 29 starts, going 8-6 with a 4.30 ERA.

DJ LeMahieu update 

Sept. 20, 2021; Bronx, N.Y. -- Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu (26) scores on an RBI single by Aaron Judge (not pictured) against the Texas Rangers during the third inning at Yankee Stadium.

Infielder DJ LeMahieu has begun his eight-week recovery period following core surgery last Tuesday at Philadelphia.

LeMahieu, 33, is expected to be ready in time for spring training.

Diagnosed with a sports hernia in September, LeMahieu did not play in the Yankees’ final three regular season games and was left off the wild card roster due to his injury.

Cashman said that “LeMahieu not being able to be LeMahieu’’ was part of the lineup’s shortcomings in 2021, with a slash line of .268/.349/.362 in 150 games.

Over the previous two seasons, in 195 games, LeMahieu slashed .336/.386/.536 and twice finished among the top four in AL MVP balloting.

“There was a curiosity with what was going on,’’ Cashman said of LeMahieu’s regression. “And now, we really think we have a legit answer why.’’

The grades are in:How the 2021 Yankees fared on their final report card

Aaron Hicks, Luke Voit updates

June 23, 2021; Bronx, N.Y. -- Yankees first baseman Luke Voit (59) celebrates with left fielder Miguel Andujar (41) and second baseman Rougned Odor (18) after hitting a game winning RBI single to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 at Yankee Stadium.

Oft-injured center fielder Aaron Hicks is “hoping’’ to play Winter League baseball according to Cashman, adding that the switch hitter’s recovery from in-season left wrist surgery should be finished by early December.

First baseman Luke Voit’s left knee issue requires rest this winter and he is not expected to need a second surgical procedure since March.

Left off the postseason roster and transferred to the 60-day IL, Voit posted a .764 OPS with 11 homers and 35 RBI in 2021, a year after he finished ninth in the AL MVP balloting with a .948 OPS, an MLB-leading 22 homers and with 52 RBI in 56 games.

He had 213 at-bats in each of the last two seasons.

Darren O'Day, Clint Frazier updates 

New York Yankees' Clint Frazier walks back to the dugout after striking out during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, May 29, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Veteran side-arming reliever Darren O’Day (left hamstring surgery) is recovering at his Atlanta-area home and should be ready to resume pitching off a mound by April, according to Cashman.

O’Day, who turns 39 this week, has a player option for 2022.

Clint Frazier, the Yankees’ opening day left fielder this year, is being medically monitored “on a weekly basis,’’ Cashman said due to the “dizziness and fogginess he’s experienced for far too long.’’

After being removed from a June 30 game, Frazier did not play again for the Yankees. He is currently back at his Atlanta home.

Pete Caldera is the Yankees beat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to all Yankees analysis, news, trades and more, please subscribe today and download our app.

Email: caldera@northjersey.com Twitter: @pcaldera