Yankees News: DJ LeMahieu Says He's 100 Percent After Avoiding Surgery on Foot Injury

Yankees All-Star infielder DJ LeMahieu is going into spring training with a full bill of health after avoiding offseason foot surgery, according to ESPN's Marly Rivera.

LeMahieu, 34, dealt with a nagging foot fracture injury for a large part of last season. It was an injury that caused him to be sidelined for the entirety of New York's postseason run, which ended in a four-game sweep against the Houston Astros in the ALCS.

It was the second consecutive year that he had to miss the playoffs.

He opted for the nonsurgical recovery plan and is feeling 100 percent ahead of his fifth season in New York.

"[Foot surgery] was definitely under consideration," LeMahieu said at the Yankees' spring training facility in Tampa on Sunday. "But we weren't sure if we wanted to do surgery on the big toe, the second toe or both. It was just never clear like, 'This was going to be it, and this is the rehab, and this is how it's going to feel,' so I think I made the right decision."

LeMahieu suffered a fracture in sesamoid bone in his right big toe that led to ligament damage in his second toe. Although he had multiple cortisone shots throughout the second half of the season, the discomfort continued and eventually caused him to miss a handful of games over the second half of the year.

He has been able to train in the offseason with no limitations on his toe, according to Rivera.

Serving as a utility man for the club over the last several years, playing all around the infield and winning a gold glove in 2022, LeMahieu is likely to continue in that role for the Yankees this upcoming season and is excited to do so.

He also believes that his time away from the team over the last two postseason will help serve as motivation for the upcoming year.

"That's the worst feeling. Just kind of gives you motivation to do everything I can to stay on the field and be myself," LeMahieu said. "I'm used to playing through stuff my whole career. But it was so limiting that I couldn't be myself, and that was extremely frustrating."

LeMahieu batted .261/.357/.377 with 12 homers and 46 RBIs in 467 at bats last season.