GRICHUK IN. OSWALDO OUT.

 Grichuk’s in. Cabrera’s out. And yeah… it stings.

You can’t help but get a little déjà vu here—Oswaldo Cabrera starting to feel like Oswald Peraza 2.0: talented, versatile, and somehow always on the outside looking in whenever the Yankees start playing roster Tetris. At some point you wonder if it’s about performance… or just preference.

Anyway, the Yankees are busy putting the final touches on their Opening Day roster, and according to the New York Post, Randal Grichuk has punched his ticket. The numbers this spring? Let’s just say they won’t be framed and hung in Cooperstown—two hits in 16 at-bats isn’t exactly screaming “must-have.” But that’s not really why he’s here. Grichuk is the classic depth piece: a veteran bat, right-handed, with a reputation for punishing lefties and holding down a corner outfield spot without turning it into a circus.

Still, the ripple effects are hard to ignore.

Jasson Domínguez, who lit up spring like it owed him money, gets shipped to Triple-A. And now Cabrera joins him.

That’s the part that really hurts.

Because Cabrera didn’t just have a quiet spring—he had a brutal road to even get to spring. After that ugly injury in May 2025, he spent months stuck in a boot, rolling around on a scooter, watching his teammates from the sidelines and probably grinding his teeth down to dust. By the time 2026 camp rolled around, he was finally cleared, slowly working his way back, trying to rediscover timing that had been on pause for nearly a year.

And just when it looked like he was ready to re-enter the picture—boom. Ticket to Scranton.

Officially, it’s about getting him more at-bats. Unofficially? We’ve heard that one before.

So now Cabrera heads to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, tasked with proving—again—that he belongs. Maybe he forces their hand. Maybe he gets the call when the inevitable injury bug hits. Or maybe he becomes the latest name on the “what could’ve been” list.

Meanwhile, Grichuk settles into his role: veteran insurance policy, lefty-masher, bench piece with occasional pop. There’s value there, no doubt. The Yankees clearly see it.

But whether this move pays off—or just becomes another head-scratcher in a long line of Bronx decisions—is something we’re all about to find out.