Yankees take DJ LeMahieu off COVID IL, set 30-man roster

Second baseman DJ LeMahieu was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list by the New York Yankees on Thursday as they set their opening day 30-man roster before playing Game 1 against the Washington Nationals.

Closer Aroldis Chapman and starter Masahiro Tanaka begin the season on injured lists — Chapman on the COVID IL, and Tanaka on the 7-day IL after getting hit in the head by a batted ball.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced on July 4 that LeMahieu and right-hander Luis Cessa tested positive for the coronavirus before traveling to New York for the team's summer camp and said they were self-isolating at home.

LeMahieu signed with the Yankees before last season and hit .327, setting career highs with 26 homers and 102 RBIs.

The Yankees also recalled infielder Thairo Estrada and righty pitchers Ben Heller and Michael King from the alternate site Thursday. That trio is part of a group of eight Yankees making their first career opening day active roster, along with outfielder Clint Frazier, infielders Gio Urshela and Mike Ford, catcher Kyle Higashioka and right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga.

Ford, who went to Princeton and showed some power when he was called up by New York in 2019, posted a message on Instagram , calling Thursday “a very special moment for me.”

“I will finally be able to look at my name on an opening day lineup card in the big leagues. I know the rosters are expanded and it is a strange season, but it is one I will always remember," Ford's post said. "If you told me my dream, making the opening day roster for the yankees, as a young kid in New Jersey would come true, I wouldn’t have believed you.”

Image credits: AP