Yankees React to Oswaldo Cabrera's Dreadful Ankle Injury
Cabrera was placed on the 10-day IL on Tuesday
It might take a while to find anyone who loves their job in MLB more than Oswaldo Cabrera. The Venezuela native is willing to do what’s best for the team and happily plays any position where manager Aaron Boone puts him.
Yankees players looked on with saddened faces as Cabrera was stretchered into an ambulance in Monday night’s 11-5 win against the Seattle Mariners. Cabrera seriously hurt his left ankle, tagging up from third base on a fly ball hit by Aaron Judge at the top of the ninth inning.
Today, we learned that the Yankees’ third baseman suffered a left ankle fracture. New York placed him on the 10-day injured list, but he’s likely to be moved to the 60-day IL and should miss more time than that.
“It’s definitely one of those unfortunate things that pops up that lends perspective to what we’re doing,” Boone told reporters Monday night. “We’re playing a game. You get so consumed with it all the time and the ups and downs of it, and something like that happens for someone you feel so good about. … It smacks you with that perspective that we try to talk about and have all the time. At the end of the day, it’s a game.”
The New York Post’s Greg Joyce reports that the entire Yankees team went to the hospital to visit Cabrera after the game.
Outfielder Trent Grisham, who hit two home runs last night, appeared visibly emotional when speaking about his injured teammate.
The Yankees might be able to replace Cabrera’s production on the field, but they cannot find alternatives for his energy level and infectious personality in the clubhouse. Guys like him help others make it through the grind of a 162-game season.
Also on Tuesday, the Yankees reinstated DJ LeMahieu from the 10-day IL after the infielder played nine rehab assignment games. LeMahieu is not in Tuesday night’s lineup, but could make his season debut in Wednesday’s series finale.
With Cabrera out, the Yankees may require LeMahieu to spend most of his time at third base rather than second. The 14-year veteran tweaked his calf during his first spring training at-bat on March 1.
Image Credit: New York Yankees third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera (95) is loaded into an ambulance after a leg injury while scoring a run against the Seattle Mariners during the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
More to come!