DJ LeMahieu Off to Yet Another Hot Start in April

By Kevin Henry | Apr 16, 2016

Sep 27, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu (9) hits an RBI single during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Rockies won 12-5. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

Just like snowstorms moving over the Rocky Mountains, DJ LeMahieu having a solid start in April is something that Colorado Rockies fans can count on every year in the Mile High City.

While Trevor Story may have grabbed the early headlines for the Rockies, LeMahieu is putting together yet another strong April. After getting a day off on Saturday (something LeMahieu talked about in a recent interview with me), LeMahieu will enter Sunday’s game at the Chicago Cubs with a .378 batting average in his first 10 games, good enough for ninth in the National League. Last season, he batted .406 in April of 2015 and is a career .354 hitter in April, his best in any month.

“I feel good at the plate. Our whole offense has been swinging well so it’s easy to do my part,” LeMahieu said, referring to Colorado’s 6.4 runs per game, ranking the Rockies third in scoring in Major League Baseball. “Hitting is contagious. Offense is contagious. No matter what anyone says, I truly believe that. With an offense like this, it’s easy to do your part and takes pressure off everyone else when other guys are doing so well.

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“It’s great to start well, but at the same time, it’s just been a few games. It’s nice to be off to a good start but there’s a lot of baseball left.”

The 27-year-old second baseman recorded a hit in nine consecutive games to start the season before going 0-for-5 in Friday’s win over the Cubs. He also recorded two hits in each of the first five games of the season, the longest streak to start a season in Rockies’ history.

“He’s just a good player who keeps getting better and better,” Colorado manager Walt Weiss said. “I’ve always felt like, even when he first got to the big leagues, that the offense was going to come because he works so hard and has a great feel for the game. He makes adjustments well. He’s a tough out and a good hitter and a great defense. He’s just good all-around.”

DJ LeMahieu was the starting second baseman for the National League in the 2015 All-Star Game, which was his first career All-Star selection. He batted a career-best .301 (170-for-564), the 10th-best average in the NL, with a career-high six home runs. He also set career-highs in games (150), hits (170), RBI (61), walks (50) and stolen bases (23).

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DJ LeMahieu is expected to bat leadoff over the next couple of weeks while normal leadoff hitter Charlie Blackmon is on the disabled list battling turf toe. LeMahieu is hitting .278 in the leadoff role so far in 2016. Last season, he hit .333 as a leadoff hitter in 18 at-bats.

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