3 Yankees at risk of losing their regular spot next season following Oswaldo Cabrera's impressive debut
Oswaldo Cabrera told himself going into 2022 that he was going to be a Yankee this year. He didn’t know when, but he had faith in it happening.
It eventually happened on August 16, shortly after Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre completed their biggest ever comeback, winning 10-9 after overturning a 9-0 deficit. Cabrera was called up by the Yankees alongside Ron Marinaccio and Esteven Florial.
Since his major league debut, Cabrera has shown what a valuable asset he can be for the New York Yankees. He has shown maturity beyond his years and versatility that a manager can only dream of.
Oswaldo Cabrera already has 5 Defensive Runs Saved in RF, the 9th most among all right fielders.
He doesn’t even have 10 games played at the MLB level.
https://t.co/b0kJjAwaqc
In his first seven major league games, Oswaldo Cabrera has also had shifts in third base, second base, shortstop and right field. In many ways, Cabrera has added more value to the Yankees in his first two weeks than some established names have done all season.
The rise of Oswaldo Cabrera has cast doubt over the future of Three Yankees
We don’t know if Aaron Boone will still be in charge next season. That depends on how the Yankees fare in their World Series quest. Whoever is the manager next year, they will find it hard to ignore Oswaldo Cabrera’s defensive versatility.
Oswaldo Cabrera prevents the tying run from scoring as the rookie makes a GREAT throw home to end the inning! https://t.co/lUCimGT9UR
If he continues to deliver, a few names are at serious risk of not donning the pinstripes in 2023.
3) Josh Donaldson
There’s a good chance that Josh Donaldson will get traded during the offseason. That is, of course, if his form doesn’t improve drastically.
In the absence of Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and Matt Carpenter, the Yankees have needed Donaldson to step up and he hasn’t. His bumper $25 million is also something the Yankees would be keen on getting off their payroll.
Cabrera can be slotted in at third base. He has played in that role 141 times during his minor league tenure. Once Cabrera starts delivering with the bat, Donaldson is very likely going to be shown the door before next season gets underway.
2) Isaiah Kiner-Falefa
Isaiah Kiner-Falefa was very much a stopgap solution at shortstop for the Yankees. With prospects Oswald Perez and Anthony Volpe in line for a major league crack next year, Kiner-Falefa is already staring at a utility bench role.
With Oswaldo Cabrera’s versatility on offer, even that might not be the case. The very limited offensive production that Kiner-Falefa has generated can be easily bettered by Cabrera.
Unless Kiner-Falefa registers MVP-caliber numbers over the next few weeks, it will be difficult to picture him as a Yankee next year.
1) Gleyber Torres
Gleyber Torres was rumored to be heading for the exit at the trade deadline. Well, that didn’t go through but it is extremely likely that the inevitable will happen ahead of next season.
Torres, a two-time All-Star, has been erratic to say the least. On some days, he is one of the best in the business. On others, he is ineffective and frustrating to watch. His extreme form is not something the Yankees can live with anymore.
Oswaldo Cabrera can play second base and shortstop adequately. If he can keep doing what he has been doing, it will be difficult for Torres to get back in the fold next year.