Despite a thumping 11-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night, the evening was tough for the New York Yankees. Attempting to score on a sacrifice fly from Aaron Judge, third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera had an awkward mishap while trying to touch home plate, leading to a severe injury that required an ambulance to take him to a nearby hospital. Before Tuesday’s middle game in Seattle, the Yankees announced that Cabrera had suffered a left ankle fracture, placing him on the 10-day injured list. Retroactively, they’ve reinstated DJ LeMahieu from the 10-day IL after finishing a rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
DJ LeMahieu will be activated from the injured list tomorrow and will start on Wednesday, per Aaron Boone. #Yankees pic.twitter.com/s4Di79BSoY
— Bronx Bombers News (@NewsBronx) May 12, 2025
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Awaited Return
LeMahieu, who suffered a calf strain in Spring Training, hasn’t appeared on the diamond since September 3rd of last season against the Texas Rangers. He missed the entire 2024 postseason and over 40 games of 2025. With Cabrera now out for what should be a significant amount of time, he will likely be seeing a lot of reps at third alongside Oswald Peraza. However, with Jazz Chisholm Jr still on the injured list, he will likely be placed at second base here and there.
LeMahieu struggled mightily last season, posting a 52 WRC+ and a -1.6 brWAR over 67 games. The former batting champion has regressed steadily over the past few seasons, but ’24 was a major falloff. The silver lining for the 36-year-old is his decent fielding and versatility. His return will certainly be beneficial for the Yankees in the field, but his bat might be a huge drawback for an otherwise potent lineup.
Scary Injury
Many Yankees players were visibly shaken after Cabrera’s injury. Many athletes across social media sent him well wishes (including former teammate and current Detroit Tiger Gleyber Torres). Cabrera’s campaign thus far was solid, seeing him making regular starts at third base with a consistent bat. The Yankees will miss his contributions on the field and in the locker room. They can only hope that he has a speedy recovery.
Main Photo Credits: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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