The World Of Bad Boone Decisions Coming To A Head Once Again

The Yankees have officially bumped DJ LeMahieu’s rehab assignment from Double-A Somerset to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre — a clear sign that he is being fast-tracked back to the Bronx. And if manager Aaron Boone has his way, LeMahieu could be activated as soon as this weekend when the Yankees begin a West Coast trip in Sacramento against the A’s.

This all might seem like just another step in a rehab stint — if it weren’t for the painfully predictable context. The Yankees are once again solving a short-term problem with a long-term mistake.

Let’s go straight to Fansided, who nailed it with this blisteringly accurate take:

“Yankees shouldn’t factor DJ LeMahieu into their second-base plans. It’s not surprising that Boone is eager to bring back LeMahieu this early in the season — especially with Jazz Chisholm Jr. out for the next four to six weeks at least with an oblique injury. While utility man Oswaldo Cabrera can shift to second and has made high-level plays there in the past, Boone hasn’t been impressed with his production so far.”

Exactly. Couldn’t have said it better. And yet, here we are — watching Aaron Boone, the king of bad timing and worse decisions, line up a 35-year-old coming off a calf injury for a return to one of the most physically demanding spots on the diamond. All because Jazz Chisholm Jr. went down and Boone doesn’t trust Cabrera, who, for all his inconsistencies at the plate, is at least healthy and defensively competent.

The irony? This is the same DJ LeMahieu the Yankees already moved off second base two years ago. Why? Age. Wear. Reduced mobility. You name it. It was obvious then, and it’s even more obvious now. Yet Boone seems to think the calendar reads 2019 and DJ still has spring in his step.

Boone criticizing Cabrera’s production is rich, considering his own managerial résumé is built on wasted potential and mind-numbing in-game decisions. But if Boone has a talent for anything, it’s putting players in the worst possible positions and acting surprised when it backfires.

Let’s be real: DJ LeMahieu still has a role on this team. It’s just not at second base. At this point, forcing him back there isn’t about strategy — it’s about panic. And panic, more than anything, has been the defining trait of Boone’s tenure.

So yes, Fansided is spot on. Rushing DJ back and sticking him at second is just another page in Boone’s ever-expanding book of managerial misfires. It’s not solving a problem — it’s begging for another one.