Yankees Strategically Start Cabrera at First Base for ALDS Game 3 Against Royals

The New York Yankees have announced that Oswaldo Cabrera will start at first base in Game 3 of the American League Division Series (ALDS) against the Kansas City Royals. The decision, confirmed on Wednesday by the team’s management, comes as the Yankees aim to strategically place their lineup against the Royals’ right-handed pitcher, Seth Lugo.

Oswaldo Cabrera, known for his versatility as a utility player, did not start in Game 2, where Jon Berti was chosen to play first base. Manager Aaron Boone highlighted Cabrera’s .268 batting average and .729 OPS against right-handed pitchers this season as significant factors in placing him against Lugo, in contrast to his struggles against left-handers.

In the previous matchup of the series, Cabrera was on the bench while Berti took the field at first base, producing notable defensive plays, including an unassisted double play in the sixth inning. Despite Berti’s defensive performance, Boone has opted for Cabrera given the current pitching match-up.

The decision was influenced by injuries to key players Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu. Rizzo is sidelined with fractured fingers and LeMahieu with a hip issue, forcing Boone to rotate between Cabrera and Berti at first base. Despite Rizzo’s absence from active play, his mentorship has been invaluable to the team, particularly to Cabrera and his fellow rookies, Ben Rice and Jon Berti.

Cabrera has shown notable adaptability, transitioning from his primary third-base position earlier in the season to a utility role. He values the learning experiences from past playoff games, despite a challenging batting performance. “I learned so much from that,” Cabrera shared, reflecting on his previous playoff runs.

The Yankees’ lineup for Wednesday includes Gleyber Torres, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Austin Wells, Giancarlo Stanton, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Alex Verdugo. Clark Schmidt takes the mound as the starting pitcher. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. Eastern Time.