In a frightening moment during the ninth inning of Monday night’s 11-5 win over the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera sustained a serious injury to his left leg while scoring on a sacrifice fly.
As Cabrera slid into home plate in an effort to evade a tag, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle, and he collapsed immediately in clear agony.
Players and fans watched in silence as Cabrera clutched his leg on the dirt. Medical staff quickly rushed to his side, stabilizing his leg in an air cast before he was transported off the field via ambulance.
The emotional toll on the Yankees was immediately apparent.
Team captain Aaron Judge knelt beside Cabrera as medical personnel worked, offering words of comfort to his fallen teammate.
“Before he got carted off, he just called me over to say, ‘Did I score?’ So it’s kind of shows you what type of guy he is,” Judge said. ” Something like that happens, and that was on his mind through all the pain and everything.”
Judge also highlighted Cabrera’s grit and character, adding, “The way that Cabrera crawled back to the plate to make sure his run counted after suffering the injury says everything about who he is.”
The scene cast a shadow over what was otherwise a high-scoring victory for New York.
Cabrera, a beloved presence in the clubhouse known for his versatility and infectious energy, now faces an uncertain timeline for recovery.
“Waldo is the best of us,” outfielder Trent Grisham said, echoing the mood of a shaken Yankees dugout.
Manager Aaron Boone, who confirmed the injury involved Cabrera’s ankle, had little further information immediately after the game. “He’s the best of people you are going to find,” the skipper said.
The Yankees are already thin in the infield.
Second baseman Jazz Chisholm remains sidelined with an oblique strain, and while veteran DJ LeMahieu is expected to return from the injured list on Tuesday, the original plan was for him to slot in at second base – not to replace Cabrera at third.
Now, with lineup plans suddenly upended, New York will have to navigate the coming stretch without one of its most dependable and upbeat contributors.
Cabrera’s condition will be re-evaluated in the coming days, but the gravity of the moment was felt deeply throughout the organization.
What are your thoughts on Cabrera’s unfortunate injury? … What should the Yankees plan be going forward???
