Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu making small progress from foot injury

PHOENIX — On the same day Aaron Boone announced that DJ LeMahieu was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in his right foot, the veteran infielder hit in the cage and continued his throwing program in Tampa.

LeMahieu’s progress continued over the days, albeit in small increments, as he hit the field Tuesday and had ground balls directly at him Monday at the club’s player development complex.

Boone said the biggest challenge for LeMahieu will be moving from side to side defensively.

“Over the last six or seven days, he’s been trending in the right direction after kind of slowing down or even stopping for a few days,” Boone said Tuesday before the Yankees’ 7-0 loss to the Diamondbacks, their first defeat of the season. . “We will listen to the pain and listen to the foot and it will heal as it goes.”

The Yankees insisted that the follow-up MRI scan revealing LeMahieu had a fracture hadn’t changed much from when he was thought to have a significant bone bruise.

Boone was asked what would represent a significant step forward for LeMahieu in his rehabilitation.

“I think when he goes out and he takes ground balls and he doesn’t suffer or push,” Boone said. “And also move well. … It’s about – especially with him and the things he’s been through with his lower half, foot and toe over the last couple of years – making sure he doesn’t play through any problem that could lead to something else.

Gerrit Cole (elbow) is getting closer to starting a throwing program, but Boone didn’t have a date for when that would happen.

The reigning AL Cy Young winner was kept from pitching for three to four weeks due to nerve inflammation and edema.

“I know he’s going in that direction,” Boone said. “So far everything seems to be going well. »

Oswald Peraza is about to start throwing again, sooner than expected.

The infielder was initially expected to be kept from pitching for six to eight weeks when he was diagnosed with a shoulder injury that the Yankees made public on March 9.

But Peraza is now set to begin a throwing program Wednesday, which will mark four weeks since he last picked up a baseball.

Peraza has been hitting recently, but will now add throwing to his rehabilitation menu as he strives to return to action.

Once Peraza is fully healthy, it’s possible he’ll simply be optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The 23-year-old was battling for a bench spot in camp before getting injured, but the Yankees have since traded for utilityman Jon Berti and Oswaldo Cabrera is off to a strong start.

The Yankees traded reliever Nick Ramirez to the Dodgers for cash considerations after designating him for assignment Saturday.

The Yankees signed former Mets reliever Phil Bickford to a minor league contract on Tuesday.

The 28-year-old right-hander had been designated for assignment by the Mets when they signed JD Martinez, then was released last week.

Bickford will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre