Oswaldo Cabrera's spring training number snafu is bizarre Yankees story we needed

Who did this and why?

New York Yankees v Miami Marlins
New York Yankees v Miami Marlins | Rich Storry/GettyImages

The Yankees making a mistake that doesn't involve withholding information or an horrific injury diagnosis is borderline music to our ears these days. And who doesn't love music?!

On Tuesday afternoon, New York put their three-game spring winning streak to the test, running out a road lineup of also rans in Dunedin against the Blue Jays with reliever Dennis Santana on the mound (Luke Weaver's neck hurts, in the 38th most crucial injury issue of spring training thus far).

Among the rostered players was Oswaldo Cabrera, fighting for an infield role, but slightly more secure now than last week given the injury to Oswald Peraza.

Or ... was that Cabrera? Because the man who rolled out of the dugout into his stated position in the field was rocking No. 33, as opposed to the utility player's usual 95. Maybe he wanted to shift the vibes around, given his five hits in 30 spring at-bats and ray-of-sunshine-dimming 2023 backslide campaign? Whatever the reason, Yankees fans were willing to embrace any alteration to the routine that left him a shell of the 2022 version of himself.

Yankees infielder Oswaldo Cabrera changes number drastically, then actually doesn't

Greg Bird? Is that you? And, if it is you, can it please not be?

Whatever Cabrera needs to do to get his swagger back, we endorse it. Paint on a goatee using eye black. Start spelling your last name backwards. Wear Jason Giambi's golden rally thong. Clean it, but wear it.

In 2022, he was a home run pickin', dinger pimpin' machine, playing the outfield with no warning and excelling in every defensive capacity possible. In 2023? The bat never showed up, and the confidence wavered. If he felt the need to be a 33, emulating David Wells, then who are we to stop him?

Unfortunately, the change was not to be. Somebody, uh ... somebody forgot to pack Oswaldo's jersey.

Ah. How perfectly Yankees.

Cabrera still requires a boost, given his likely utility role on the Opening Day roster, but it won't come from a surprise number shift. Maybe the addition of, say, Donovan Solano will help motivate him? No. 33 is available. Just saying.

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