The New York Yankees got their West Coast road trip started on the right foot on Monday night with an 11-5 victory over the Seattle Mariners.
Though it’s always nice to get a victory, the win came at a cost for the Yankees, who look to likely now be without one of their most important infielders potentially for the rest of the season.
During the top half of the ninth inning with New York already leading by five runs, third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera tagged up on a pop fly to the outfield and scored another insurance run, but while trying to avoid the tag he got caught up and suffered a gruesome looking ankle injury.
Cabrera had to be taken off the field in an ambulance with what looks to be a devastating injury that would place him out for the foreseeable future.
The Yankees will miss Cabrera’s presence dearly both on the field and in the clubhouse, but perhaps the biggest impact is what now happens at the hot corner.
Cabrera has done a more than admirable job filling in and taking on the role for his own, but now New York is likely going to have to rely upon a veteran who has not been able to stay healthy recently.
Seemingly on the cusp of making his return to the team, the health of LeMahieu suddenly becomes an absolutely critical factor for this team rather than just anything he adds being a bonus.
Last year, the four-time Gold Glove winner played in just 67 games and was absolutely dreadful when he was on the field while battling through numerous injuries.
His quest to stay healthy this year did not get off to a good start when he suffered a calf injury in his first spring training game that has kept him out for nearly the first two months of the season.
LeMahieu is just simply not an every day player at this point in his career, but New York is going to need him to be close to that in order to weather the storm of Cabrera’s injury.
If the veteran can stay healthy and at least be able to give some semblance of quality, it would be a tremendous boost to a team whose infield is growing thinner and thinner by the day.
It’s far from ideal for the Yankees to have to rely on the health of a 36-year-old who has done anything but stay healthy, but until another move can be made, that’s the reality in the Bronx.
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