About Spring Training: “I Don’t Know” is On Third Base
By Tim Kabel
March 21, 2024
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One week from today, the Yankees will open the regular season in Houston against the Astros. Due to a bone bruise on his right foot, DJ LeMahieu looks doubtful for that game. Due to the severity of the injury, his age, his injury history, and the fact that it's only the first game, it seems unlikely that he will play. With LeMahieu not able to play, the old Abbott and Costello routine, “Who's on First” becomes prophetic because “I Don't Know” will be playing third base for the Yankees on Opening Day.
If we restrict ourselves to people who are currently on the active roster for the Yankees, Oswaldo Cabrera would seem to be the logical choice. He has played third base many times before. He will most likely make the team as he has been hitting reasonably well in Spring Training and he can play every defensive position other than catcher. That being said, of the limited options the Yankees have currently, Cabrera is the most likely to play third base on Opening Day.
At this point, LeMahieu’s injury seems unlikely to land him on the injured list. He will most likely only miss a few games. Therefore, the Yankees probably will not open another roster spot for someone else. Kevin Smith is another option but, he is not on the 40-man roster. He might make the team out of spring training but I don't know that he would play over Oswaldo Cabrera on Opening Day.
It is possible, perhaps even likely, that the Yankees will sign or trade for someone outside of the organization to fill a backup infielder role. It seems likely that Oswaldo Cabrera will make the team but, at this point, he appears to be the backup at every position other than catcher. The Yankees need someone else.
I think this will be a situation similar to those we have seen in the past. Another team will cut an infielder loose and the Yankees will scoop him up. They have done this before whether it is simply signing the player or making a trade.
If LeMahieu is only going to miss a couple of games, I would have no problem playing Oswaldo Cabrera at third base on Opening Day and until the LeMahieu gets back. I happen to like Cabrera and think he will have a better year this year than he did last year. However, the Yankees have a waif-thin bench. They need to address that and they need to do it quickly.
Having “I Don't Know” as your third baseman worked perfectly fine for Abbott and Costello but, it will not work for the Yankees. They need a stronger bench because it's highly likely that LeMahieu or Rizzo might go down with an injury. At this point, LeMahieu, in addition to playing third base. is also the primary backup at first base and second base. If he is the one who is out, that creates major problems. You would have to have Cabrera fill in for him, but then who would be available if you needed someone at second or first?
I would expect the Yankees to do some tweaking to the roster before Opening Day. They should have done it sooner but, they didn't. That doesn't mean they still don't need to address it. They do.
It is also not a harbinger of good things that LeMahieu is already missing days. I know it's a bone bruise from a foul ball but still, he has had problems with his legs and feet before that seemed to linger. They certainly don't need him to miss a significant amount of time. Nor do they need him to try to be heroic and play through an injury. That rarely works and it almost never works with him. He usually winds up making things significantly worse.
At this point, the Yankees don't need “I Don't Know” at third base. They need to know who it will be, and they need to develop a plan to strengthen the roster.
