Following the UCL injury to Jazz Chisholm that could potentially keep him out for an extended period of time, the New York Yankees will now need to get more out of utility man Oswaldo Cabrera, who is likely to see more playing time with the opening at third base.
Oswaldo Cabrera has been heating up lately for the Yankees
Cabrera’s season overall has been fine for a utility piece, but after a hot start to the season, he cooled off drastically in the months of June and July, but has since picked it up again. On the year, he’s batting .245 with a .667 OPS and eight home runs. Over his last 21 games, Cabrera is hitting .320 with three home runs, eight RBIs, and a .915 OPS. That OPS ranks third on the Yankees since July 6 behind only Aaron Judge and Juan Soto.
Last week against the Los Angeles Angels, Cabrera hit a home run off of a 101.5 MPH pitch from Angels right-hander Ben Joyce. It was the fastest pitch that a Yankee hit a home run off of since the start of pitch tracking in 2008, per MLB.com’s Sarah Langs.
Cabrera feels better when he gets more playing time
Last month, Cabrera talked about the difference he feels when he is getting consistent playing time versus being used in a bench role and added that it is “not easy” to receive inconsistent plate opportunities.
“It’s not easy when you’re not playing,” said Cabrera in July via The New York Post. “At the same time, I have to try to do my best even when I’m not playing and trying to do my best to stay ready.”
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Jazz Chisholm’s injury gives the Yankees a prime opportunity to get Cabrera more action
If there was a time to find Cabrera more playing time, now would be the perfect time to get him in there as he is playing arguably the best stretch of baseball in his young career. The injury to Chisholm is a killer, as he provided the Yankees with a great combination of speed, power, and athleticism. However, if Cabrera can continue to produce at this rate, the loss of Chisholm won’t feel as great over time.
More still needs to be known about the extent of Chisholm’s injury, and the Yankees are still mulling a decision of whether or not he will need surgery for his UCL injury. Until they get a clearer outlook on his prognosis, they will be relying on Cabrera to fill the void that will be left by his absence.
