We all love the energy Oswaldo Cabrera brings to the dugout—the necklaces, the smile, the versatility—but in professional sports, vibes don’t keep you on the roster when you can’t stay on the field. Entering 2026, I’m looking at the Yankees’ utility picture, and frankly, I don’t see a clear lane for Cabrera. After a fractured ankle derailed his 2025 season in May, the front office didn’t just wait for him to heal; they went out and found two players who do his job better than he does.
Cabrera played just 34 games last year, slashing a pedestrian .243/.322/.308 with a .630 OPS before his season ended sliding into home plate. While he sat on the IL, Brian Cashman completely rebuilt the bench, and the new pieces aren’t just stopgaps—they are upgrades.
The Replacements Are Statistically Superior
First, you have Jose Caballero, who the Yankees acquired at the deadline. In his 40-game audition in the Bronx, he didn’t just fill in; he dominated. Caballero posted a .828 OPS and a 131 OPS+ with the Yankees, showing significantly more offensive upside than Cabrera has flashed in years. He also brings elite speed, stealing 49 bases across the season, a weapon Cabrera simply doesn’t possess.
Then there is Amed Rosario. The Yankees bringing him back on a one-year, $2.5 million deal was the final nail in the coffin for Cabrera’s job security. Rosario is a lefty-mashing machine, hitting .302 with an .819 OPS against southpaws last season. He provides a veteran presence and reliable contact that the Yankees clearly value over Cabrera’s inconsistency.
The Only Lifeline Is the Switch-Hit Tool
If Cabrera has one saving grace, it’s that he is a switch-hitter who can bat left-handed. Both Caballero and Rosario are righties, theoretically leaving a spot for a lefty bench bat. But is that enough? Cabrera agreed to a $1.2 million deal to avoid arbitration, which makes him cheap, but roster spots are currency in the Bronx.
Unless Cabrera shows up to Spring Training looking like the 2022 version of himself, he is the odd man out. The Yankees have too much depth and too many proven commodities to wait for him to find his rhythm again. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s packaged in a trade before Opening Day, because right now, he is a surplus asset on a team that needs certainty.