The man nicknamed the Machine knew a part of him was malfunctioning, and yet he could not troubleshoot it while he was still plugged in. Then the Yankees unplugged DJ LeMahieu for five straight games at the end of July, plugged him back in and suddenly found him humming again. The potential fix came with a small sample size of just three starts, but with the Yankees facing a stretch of three lefties in four games beginning Thursday, LeMahieu will have a chance to prove that he has in what has been a mostly brutal season. DJ LeMahieu hits a double in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST I kind of knew what I needed to do. I just couldnt figure out how to do it, LeMahieu said Thursday before he was set to bat eighth and start at first base against Angels lefty Tyler Anderson. But I think taking a couple days off gave me a little different perspective. Able to look at a few things more closely. I had been working on stuff over and over again. It just wasnt clicking. It was nice to get some results and have just a little sense of positivity of what Im working on. Explore More The Yankees need to of the season, especially as they try to determine how to handle first base with rookie Ben Rice cooling off after a hot start and Anthony Rizzo potentially a few weeks away from coming off the injured list. Over his last three starts before Thursday, LeMahieu was 5-for-12 (.417) with two doubles, a home run, nine RBIs and a DeAndre' Bembry Jersey 1.218 OPS the three extra-base hits being as many as he had in his last 23 games (16 starts) before this stretch. The underlying numbers back up his progre s, too. Through July 30 the last of his five straight games out of the starting lineup LeMahieus average exit velocity (on 116 batted balls) was 87.2 mph. Yankees third base DJ LeMahieu doubles to left field against the Los Angeles Angels. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Since July 31, he has an average exit velocity of 97 mph (on 13 batted balls). His bat speed has also ticked up during the past week. I feel like hes just a little more balanced through the entire swing, holding his posture well, manager Aaron Boone said. Looking more like DJ. Some life through the zone. Better balance throughout the zone, not breaking down at all in his swing. Itd obviously be huge if we can keep him going like this because obviously that role is there and an important one for us. Its good to see him continue to move the needle. LeMahieu said he has been encouraged by how hes felt at the plate over the last week. He did not want to go into details on what exactly he fixed during his time off, other than saying he is now in a better position to hit. The 36-year-old infielder returned to the lineup last Wednesday in Philadelphia and with a grand slam and a two-run double. He got another start Sunday and delivered a walk-off single in extra innings. Yankees third baseman DJ LeMahieu (C) is mobbed by his teammates after he hits a walk off single to defeated the Toronto Blue Jays. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Then, in the nightcap of Wednesdays doubleheader, he got off three bullets, two of them going for hits (one driving in a run before he eventually scored on the other). I know I got it, just trying to get it out, LeMahieu said. I wasnt really allowing myself to be myself. Some work in the cage [helped] and hopefully keep it rolling. Asked what he meant by not allowing himself to be himself, LeMahieu said his mechanics were to blame for that. Go beyond the box score with the Bombers Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Its po sible LeMahieus mechanics had been thrown off when he came back from a non-displaced foot fracture suffered in March. It happened last year when LeMahieu was coming back from a foot injury that ended his 2022 season prematurely, and he found the fix in time to put together a solid second half. Feel like the quality of the at-bat and where hes at, definitely seen improvement, Boone said. Even for a guy thats been through it and got a ton of experience and a ton of succe s in the league, anytime you go through some extended struggles and youre able to now build a handful of games where youre starting to string together quality at-bats and barrel balls up and things like that, thats good for the psyche. Dewan Hernandez Jersey