Some teams survive injuries with ease, but for the Yankees, this season has turned into a game of infield musical chairs.
With Jazz Chisholm sidelined due to a serious oblique injury, and Oswaldo Cabrera now out with a fractured ankle, the Yankees are left scrambling to find stability.
And nowhere is that panic more obvious than at second base.
A lineup held together with tape
Chisholm’s injury—three separate tears in his oblique—is not the kind you bounce back from in a week or two.
It could take several more weeks for him to return, and in the meantime, the Yankees are simply trying to stay above water.
With DJ LeMahieu now taking over full-time duties at third base in Cabrera’s absence, the second base job has turned into a rotation of hope and desperation.
Jorbit Vivas, Pablo Reyes, and Oswald Peraza are all getting looks—but none have claimed the role outright.
Vivas is patient—but the bat isn’t there yet
The Yankees handed Jorbit Vivas a start against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, hoping his eye at the plate would translate into production.
Instead, he struck out once in two at-bats and was later replaced by LeMahieu, who struck out in his lone appearance as well.
Vivas has discipline—there’s no denying that. He’s walking at a solid clip and not chasing bad pitches.
But he’s also hitting just .143/.280/.190 with three hits in 21 at-bats. Patience only gets you so far when contact is this limited.
Peraza might be the next man up
Of all the options available, Oswald Peraza could see the most opportunity to take over at second base.
He’s had chances before, never quite cementing himself, but his glove plays and the Yankees are running out of other choices.
If Peraza can provide league-average offense, it might be enough to hold things together until reinforcements arrive.
Defensively, he’s reliable—and at this point, that may be the best-case scenario.
This isn’t a title-caliber infield
Let’s be honest: an infield of Peraza at second and LeMahieu at third isn’t what you dream up for October baseball.
It’s good enough to stay competitive in May. But when the postseason picture starts to develop, the Yankees will need more firepower.
Jazz returning would help, but even that might not be enough.
A move might be inevitable
Brian Cashman doesn’t tend to make panic trades, but the pressure is quietly building.
The Yankees could be one big bat away from rounding out a truly dangerous lineup—and third base or second base could be the spot they target.
Don’t be surprised if whispers around the trade market grow louder as summer rolls in.
This team has too much riding on 2025 to simply patch holes with duct tape and hope for the best.
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