MLB lockout leaves Yankees in the shadows over healing of their players

NEW YORK – The Major Baseball lockout has left the New York Yankees in the dark about the progress of the recovery of DJ LeMahieu, Aaron Hicks, Jameson Taillon and Darren O’Day following their surgery.

Hicks, who is recovering from surgery on May 26 to repair a torn tendon in his left wrist, maintained a .265 batting average in 12 games in the Dominican Republic Winter League at the end of the month. November and early December.

LeMahieu underwent an operation to cure a sports hernia on October 12. Taillon went under the knife on October 28, to repair a tendon in his right ankle, while O’Day underwent left hamstring surgery on July 21. The same day, Tim Locastro had a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament repaired in his right knee.

« I don’t have any contact with them so I don’t know, » Yankees manager Aaron Boone said at a press conference Wednesday to discuss his staff of instructors.

Major League Baseball has asked teams not to contact players who are on their 40-player roster and has removed all images of them from the websites.

The baseball lockout began when the collective agreement ended on December 1. Boone doesn’t expect the Yankees to evaluate players until the end of the work stoppage. It is also not certain that the spring camp will start on February 16, as planned.

“We tried to put our guys in the best position when it comes to our coaches, having conversations and putting in place plans, as December 1 approaches,” said Boone. I hope they have programs in place that they can follow and that they will be in a good position once this is sorted out, but we have not had any contact. « 

Boone’s staff of 11 instructors include newcomers Luis Rojas, third pad, Travis Chapman, first base, Dillon Lawson, as batting instructor, his assistants Eric Chavez and Casey Dykes as well as Desi Druschel, as assistant to the pitching instructor.

Returning staff include Carlos Mendoza, Matt Blake, Mike Harkey, Tanner Swanson, and Brett Weber.

Lawson has spent the past three seasons as the minor hitting coordinator for the Yankees.

« He had a very, very big impact on our system in the minor ranks, » Boone said. This is one of the things that is unfortunate about the lockout, that it is not able to continue to build these relationships with the players. Before the lockout started, we had him on board and he was ready to develop those relationships with the players. He was able to have meaningful sessions and conversations. « 

Chavez, who won six Golden Gloves as a third baseman, is expected to have an interesting role beyond his title as an assistant batting coach.

“He has a very good outlook on the sport. He’s very open-minded, Boone insisted. I consider it a bit like a Swiss Army Knife. He’s going to have a lot of different responsibilities. It’s a role that I think will evolve as he allows it. «