Joel Sherman hints at possible unfortunate fate for beloved Yankees player

Lost in the shuffle of the New York Yankees' need for a right-handed bat has been Oswaldo Cabrera, who suffered a scary ankle injury early in the 2025 season and never returned. The switch-hitter was poised for a breakout year as he was tasked with handling the Opening Day third base duties.

Cabrera going down was a sad moment for Yankees fans. He's a beloved player and one of the few who provides unrelenting energy and spirit on a daily basis. But now he's supposed to be ready for spring training and should finally be put to use the way that's always been intended: as a super utility option.

That means he can help platoon at third base (with Ryan McMahon) and shortstop (with Jose Caballero until Anthony Volpe returns). He also reduces the urgency for the Yanks to sign another outfielder given his ability to play the corner spots.

The only issue? He's stronger from the left side of the plate than he is the right side. At this point, he cannot be trusted to effectively handle a lefty starter (.213 AVG and .569 OPS in 190 career plate appearances). Then again, that's not a strong sample size, so perhaps the Yankees should give him a bit more run in that role. We're not going to get ahead of ourselves, but before he went down with an injury last year he was 6-for-19 (all singles) in those matchups. Maybe something clicked last offseason and he was ready to show he could contribute in that manner.

But are the Yankees sold on this? They might not be, given their transparent search for another right-handed bat. So many fans have labeled Jasson Dominguez as the guy who will lose playing time if another such player was brought in, but have we thought of Cabrera? Here's the latest from Joel Sherman of the New York Post:

"A wild card in this is Oswaldo Cabrera. He suffered a left ankle fracture last May and missed the rest of the season. He is a switch-hitter who through his career has performed better from the left side. However, he was 6-for-19 (.316) last season off southpaws — a small sample size with no extra-base hits. But the Yankees love his versatility and makeup. They also love that he has options remaining and can be stashed at Triple-A if need be."

Yankees can stash Oswaldo Cabrera at Triple-A? Sad.

Excuse us? Options? The man is about to turn 27 years old and has largely been a serviceable major league bench piece dating back to 2022. Sherman talked about Cabrera on the Pinstripe Post and it sure sounded like the Yankees have him on the outside looking in more than anything. Any mention of Cabrera feels like a footnote.

In an even more concerning world, Cabrera doesn't make the Opening Day roster and then becomes a trade/DFA candidate. It would perhaps be a bit extreme if it gets to that point, but so many former Yankees prospects have suffered that fate after flaming out or dealing with injuries.

If anybody can overcome that unfortunate fate, however, it's Cabrera, whose infectious passion will more than likely have him in a position to be a contributor in 2026.