Oswaldo Cabrera gives Yankees versatility in postseason

NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone calls Oswaldo Cabrera his safety net — and for good reason.

He is New York’s all-purpose player. If someone in the starting lineup is unable to play because of an injury or needs a day off, one can bet that Cabrera will be the replacement.

Cabrera has played every position this season except for center field and catcher. He even pitched one game, going one-third of an inning without allowing a run against the Angels on June 8.

When Spring Training started, Cabrera was slated to be a bench player, but by Opening Day, the Yankees needed him at third base against the Astros, after DJ LeMahieu went on the injured list due to a fractured bone in his right foot. Cabrera delivered, going 2-for-4 with an RBI against Houston on March 28.

Prior to this season, Cabrera had never played first base. But there he was on Aug. 31, filling in for Anthony Rizzo, who missed 2 1/2 months with a right forearm fracture. Rizzo is expected to miss the American League Division Series against the Royals because of two fractured fingers on his right hand. Don’t be surprised if Cabrera sees time at first.

“I love to play. That’s the thing. I don’t care about any position that I’m playing,” Cabrera said. “Obviously, we want Rizzo in the lineup. … We are all on the same page with that.”

Boone likes how much Cabrera has improved against right-handed pitching. His average against righties went up from .215 in 2023 to .268 this year. There is a strong possibility Cabrera will be in the starting lineup against the Royals on Saturday.

“He is such a good teammate, such a good pro, loves the game and loves the preparation,” Boone said. “You watch him work on a daily basis and he makes sure he is staying sharp with his ground balls.

“First base has become a little more new to him this year. He has a lot of work over there, but he bounces around. He was kind of a regular third baseman for a time for us. He has played a little short. You watch him during batting practice, he will jump to the outfield and make sure he is getting his live reps out there.”

Praise from Boone and other members of the Yankees didn’t come as often last season. After providing energy and clutch hitting during his rookie year in 2022, Cabrera struggled in ’23 — in fact, he was sent down to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre three times because of lack of production. His OPS went from .741 in his rookie year to .574 last season. Cabrera said he was listening to too many voices when it came to his swing.

Cabrera decided to try a new approach this season after talking with hitting coach James Rowson, who told him to be himself on a daily basis. That meant being aggressive at all times. Last year, when he made a mistake, Cabrera thought, “it’s just baseball. Everything is going to be OK,” but that wasn’t the case.

“I was working a lot with my consistency [at the plate this offseason] and my mental skills, trying to throw all the trash away from my head and just try and concentrate on things I can control,” Cabrera said. “For that reason, everything that can happen out of my control, there is nothing I can do about it. [Rowson] is more than a hitting coach; he is a mental guy for me. He is the type of guy that tries to make sure that I have my mind in the right way.”

Rowson is not the only person who gives Cabrera positive vibes. Every day, Cabrera’s parents — Leo and Jitty — send positive messages via text saying, “We are so proud of you for what you are doing this season.”

“They know it wasn’t easy,” Cabrera said about his parents. “They were always telling me beautiful things. It gives me so much energy to keep going.”