Jose Caballero’s pace at the plate turned into a flashpoint Monday night at Yankee Stadium, where the Yankees shortstop’s pitch-clock routine helped set off a brief bench-clearing moment with Pirates reliever Dennis Santana.
The scene came in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 8-5 win. Santana charged toward Caballero and shouted at him, drawing players from both benches and bullpens onto the field. The confrontation cooled quickly, and no one was ejected.
Afterward, Santana pointed to his own frustration as the reason things escalated.
“It’s nothing against him,’’ said Santana. “I got caught up in the game.’’
Caballero has made a habit of stretching his time before settling in, often pushing right up against the eight-second limit. On this night, the at-bat was short - just three pitches - and ended with Caballero grounding into an inning-ending double play.
Caballero said he was heading toward first base coach Dan Fiorito when he realized Santana was coming at him and talking.
“He got what he wanted,’’ Caballero said of the DP to end the eighth. “He should go to the other side. He was walking on the wrong side.’’
Santana had to be restrained by teammates three different times before the situation settled down. About an hour later, he said he was upset because Caballero was taking too long in the box.
“He can do whatever he wants. But we were already losing (and I just said) something to him,’’ said Santana. “And while I was talking, I see everybody (rush onto) the field.’’
Santana said his outburst was tied to Caballero’s pace, not anything personal. He also said the game itself wasn’t the issue.
“It’s been a tough season for me right now,’’ said Santana, with a 6.05 ERA in 44 games. “But that doesn’t have anything to do with (Monday’s game). I had a clean inning.’’
Santana was in 23 games for the 2024 Yankees before the Pirates claimed him in June of that season.
Both players said they have no previous history, though Santana said he was at least somewhat aware of Caballero’s approach before Monday.
Caballero, for his part, made it clear he sees the routine as part of the game.
“At this point, he’s lucky he doesn’t get (called for a) ball right away,’’ Caballero said of Santana’s problem with his at-bat.
“We all should know about the rules. The whole league should know who I am, what I do at the box,’’’ said Caballero, adding that Santana “shouldn’t be mad’’ at him for playing by a league rule.
“You should be mad at someone else.’’
Yankees manager Aaron Boone backed Caballero’s method, calling it part of the shortstop’s preparation.
“It’s part of his process of getting mentally ready to hit,’’ said Boone, who defended Caballero earlier this year, when he was warned by an umpiring crew about engagement.
Caballero said he isn’t changing.
“I take my time. I don’t want them to mess with my time.
I do my routine as always,’’ said Caballero. “If you get frustrated, I’m winning.
“For me, it’s a battle at the box and I’m trying to win the battle.’’
In Other News...
Yankees Suddenly Face Three Roster Calls They Cant Put Off
The Yankees left their split doubleheader against the Dodgers with the same uneasy feeling they brought in, because the roster questions around them are getting harder to ignore. Even after taking the nightcap, the bigger picture still points toward a club trying to stabilize itself while weighing whether some of its current pieces fit the way the front office hoped when the season began.
One of those calls is in the bullpen, where Camilo Doval has slid so far down the hierarchy that a move may be coming sooner rather than later, especially with his options situation adding pressure. The position-player side has its own debate, too, with Jasson Domnguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. both at the center of suggested adjustments as the Yankees look for a cleaner mix and a little more certainty in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Just Pushed The Yankees Toward A Brutal Trade Deadline Choice
With Aaron Judge still out and Giancarlo Stanton dealing with injuries, the Yankees are staring at a trade deadline that may demand more than a routine tweak. Brian Cashman has a roster that can still compete, but it looks incomplete enough that the front office may have to weigh moving everyday contributors and pitching depth to shore up the club before the deadline passes.
The rotation picture is part of what makes the decision so tricky. With several starters on the way back from the injured list, the Yankees could soon find themselves with more arms than spots, creating a path to deal from a position of depth while trying to cover the holes left by the lineup's injuries. The challenge is finding the right balance between preserving what the Yankees already have and making enough of a splash to keep pace in a crowded race. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Just Ran Into A Bigger Problem Than One Bad Series
The Yankees split with the Dodgers did more than expose a rough offensive weekend. It reinforced how much the lineup still leans on Aaron Judge, and how thin the margin gets when he is not there to carry the middle of the order. New York managed only five runs across the series, and manager Aaron Boone said the club needs more consistent offense, a reminder that one hot stretch from the bats can hide a lot of underlying issues.
Cody Bellinger is one of the players expected to help steady things, but there is also a broader roster conversation hanging over the club as the trade deadline approaches. If the Yankees are going to keep pace, Brian Cashman may need to look beyond internal fixes and consider upgrades at catcher, along with other moves that could reshape the infield mix. The series in Los Angeles did not just cost them a chance at a cleaner result, it sharpened the question of whether this roster has enough reliable offense as currently built. [Read more 🡒]