Yankees option Oswaldo Cabrera to Triple-A, Randal Grichuk makes Opening Day roster
The second that news broke late Friday afternoon that the Yankees could be optioning Jasson Domínguez to Triple-A, it appeared like a cinch that big-league veteran Randal Grichuk would make their Opening Day roster. Although he arrived to camp as a late-signing non-roster invitee and supervisor Aaron Boone tried to make it sound prefer it wasn’t a certain factor that will be with them initially of 2026 (even saying so yesterday), Grichuk so clearly appeared to match what the Yankees claimed they had been in search of all winter: a righty-hitting bench outfielder.
As such, it has to come to go: Grichuk shall be on the 2026 Yankees, per Boone’s report on Saturday morning. Domínguez wasn’t the one participant who had to make room for Grichuk given the crowded roster scenario, and so got here the associated information that utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera would start the yr in Triple-A:
Cabrera had an option and is getting back from a fairly brutal ankle damage, solely making it into seven video games like this far in spring coaching. So for as stable as a bench option as he’s at full well being, he isn’t fairly there but, and he can maintain getting common reps at Scranton somewhat than not often taking part in within the majors. More possible than not, he’ll be wanted sooner somewhat than later given the general age of the Yankees’ roster.
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As for Grichuk, he isn’t terribly thrilling on the floor, however as Estevão famous earlier in Marchthere is a purpose why he had the Yankees had been all for him. Is it doable that he was simply cooked in his 85 OPS+ age-33 season final yr? Sure. However, he has a .819 profession OPS in opposition to lefties and that determine was .913 as not too long ago as 2024. So it is definitely worth the flyer to see if he nonetheless has that in him, particularly when the roster flexibility is obtainable in the mean time with Cabrera and Domínguez’s choices (and want for enjoying time).
Just to throw my hat within the ring on Opening Day roster projections, here is what I feel it could possibly be as of now, acknowledging that Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, and Anthony Volpe will all start the yr on the IL:
catchers (2)
Austin Wells
JC Escarra
Infielders (6)
Ben Rice
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Jose Caballero
Ryan McMahon
Paul Goldschmidt
Amed Rosario
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Outfielders (4)
Cody Bellinger
Trent Grisham
Aaron Judge
Randal Grichuk
Designated Hitter (1)
Giancarlo Stanton
Starting Pitchers (5)
Max Fried
Cam Schlittler
Luis Gil
Ryan Weathers
Will Warren
Bullpen (8)
David Bednar
Camilo Doval
Fernando Cruz
Tim Hill
Ryan Yarbrough
Paul Blackburn
Cade Winquest
Jake Bird
That final spot within the bullpen might go to somebody like Brent Headrick somewhat than Bird, however other than that, this all appears to be so as. What do you assume?
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