Yankees Surprisingly DFA Fan-Favorite Utilityman

September 17, 2026
The New York Yankees needed a roster spot, and they took it from a player who's been with the organization since he was a teenager.

Schmidt's Return Forced The Move

New York designated Oswaldo Cabrera for assignment to clear a 40-man spot for Clarke Schmidt, who was officially activated from the 60-day injured list after completing his recovery from Tommy John surgery. 

It had been 14 and a half months since Schmidt last pitched in a Major League game, and he wasted no time getting back into action, entering Wednesday's game against the Twins in the seventh inning and striking out two batters around a pair of bloop singles. 

"It's been a long journey, a lot of work that goes into this, a lot of long days, early mornings," Schmidt said. "I'm a baseball fan, so watching games has been really tough." 

Manager Aaron Boone said Schmidt has looked sharp in his buildup and will begin in the bullpen in shorter stints while the team manages his workload and avoids using him on back-to-back days. 

Adding him back to the 40-man meant someone else had to go, and that someone turned out to be Cabrera. 

A Rare Yankee, And A Strong Case To Stay

Cabrera signed with New York as a 16-year-old international free agent out of Guarenas, Venezuela back in July 2015, and he's since become the second-longest-tenured player in the organization behind only Aaron Judge. 

He debuted in 2022 and spent parts of four seasons bouncing around the diamond as one of the more well-liked players in the Yankees' clubhouse, known as much for his versatility, playing everywhere except catcher, as for his personality. 

Boone didn't hide how difficult the decision was. "I feel like I'm blessed to have a lot of guys on this team I just admire and respect and love doing the job with on a daily basis," Boone said. "And Oswaldo's right there at the top of that list. Just how he goes about things, how he treats people, the teammate he is." 

Cabrera broke his ankle avoiding a tag at home plate on a Judge sacrifice fly in Seattle back in May 2025, an injury serious enough to end his season and require surgery. 

He appeared in just three games for the Yankees this year, spending almost all of his time at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre instead, where he actually thrived, hitting .288 with a .345 on-base percentage, 19 home runs and 12 stolen bases. 

"The good thing is Oswaldo's come back from a very difficult injury and had a really good year down in Triple-A," Boone said. "He's playing really well. So hopefully this is just one of those things, and I'm confident that Oswaldo will go on to have a very good career. Hopefully it's still with us." 

Cabrera now enters the DFA process, during which the Yankees can attempt to work out a trade or another club can simply claim him off waivers. 

Given his switch-hitting ability, defensive versatility across six positions and team control that runs through 2028, it wouldn't be a surprise if another organization takes a chance on him within the coming days. 

Cabrera's career .232 big league average never matched what he showed in Triple-A this year, and for now, it's another team that stands to benefit from the gap between the two.

Social Media Feature Preview
Go To: NFL Rumors | NBA Rumors | NHL Rumors