SEATTLE – Inside the Yankees’ postgame clubhouse, the victory soundtrack music played – but at a subdued level as players quietly moved about.
During Monday night’s ninth inning, Oswaldo Cabrera suffered a devastating left ankle injury.
Carted off the field and taken to nearby Harborview Medical Center, the collective concern for Cabrera – “one of the best human beings’’ as Trent Grisham said – was painfully evident.
“This is a tough one,’’ said Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge, after an 11-5 win against the Mariners. “Especially for a guy who’s grinded his whole life and finally got an opportunity to be our everyday guy’’ at third base.
Yankees’ admiration for Oswaldo Cabrera: “He’s as good as it gets”
Scoring on Judge’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly, Cabrera’s momentum carried him past home plate as he evaded catcher Cal Raleigh’s tag.
In doing so, Cabrera suffered a gruesome ankle injury that hushed the T-Mobile Park crowd and stopped play for several minutes as Yankees head athletic trainer Tim Lentych rushed to his aid.
Judge knelt and spoke to Cabrera, who – just before being secured to a stretcher and placed in a medical van – asked: “Judgie, did I score?’’
“Kind of shows you what type of guy he is,’’ Judge said of the infectiously positive Cabrera, 26, whose upbeat personality has impacted the Yankees’ clubhouse since his arrival in 2022.
“He’s as good as it gets, one of the best people you’re ever going to come across,’’ said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, echoing the clubhouse sentiment. “Your heart breaks.’’
Whether he’s in the lineup or not, if he’s in a slump or on a hot streak, Cabrera is a constant source of positivity, radiating charm and goodwill at every turn.
“His energy, the way he carries himself…his kind spirit and his heart,’’ is how Monday’s winning pitcher Clarke Schmidt describes Cabrera’s daily presence.
This is a teammate who is “trying to uplift guys and always bringing positive energy, always a smile on his face,’’ said Schmidt.
“Every time you see him, it’s always hard not to smile,’’ said Schmidt. “He plays the game the right way. Just a complete player and a complete person. Who he is as a person really stands out to me.’’
Oswaldo Cabrera’s positive vibe is a Yankees clubhouse staple
After a postgame team address, Boone related Grisham’s sentiment about how Cabrera “does it right every day.
“How he prepares to do his job, the kind of teammate that he is, the joy he walks in this room with every single day.’’
Judge called Cabrera “one of my favorite teammates,’’ for his dedication and “how much he loves and cares for everybody in this room.
“He loves being a Yankee, he wears this jersey with pride,’’ said Judge, mentioning Cabrera’s consistent pick-me-ups, even for a guy batting .414 after Monday’s win.
“If I strike out, or pop up,’’ after the first time up, Judge said that Cabrera is there to say, “Hey, you’ve got three more at-bats, let’s go.’ ’’
Judge had two hits and two walks Monday, on a night when Grisham homered twice, Austin Wells blasted a three-run homer, Anthony Volpe was on base four times – including a two-run shot – and Schmidt pitched into the seventh inning.
“Obviously a great game in a lot of ways,” said Boone. “But a lot of guys (are) feeling for a teammate who’s the best of them.”
