The Yankees didn’t just lose Game 1 of the American League Division Series. They got smothered. Drew Rasmussen carved them up for eight shutout innings, and New York was close to getting no-hit before Austin Wells ripped an ill-fated double to right field.
After a night like that, the Yankees could use anything to wake the offense up before Game 2 against the Rays and their deadline addition, Freddy Peralta. One simple tweak stands out: keep the lineup mostly intact, but replace Ryan McMahon with Jose Caballero at third base.
That move makes sense on both sides of the ball. McMahon’s offense has been a non-factor, and his glove no longer looks like the game-changing weapon it once was.
He has plus-1 outs above average and minus-1 defensive runs saved at third, according to Baseball Savant. Caballero is right there with him defensively, sitting at minus-1 OAA and plus-1 DRS, while offering a slight edge at the plate.
Caballero posted an 83 wRC+, compared with McMahon’s 78.
In a playoff series, small changes can swing the tone fast, and the Yankees need one after a flat opening loss. Caballero also brings a different kind of energy. The Rays dealt him last year during a series against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, and he wound up changing dugouts mid-game.
That kind of move clearly stuck with him. Cam Schlittler described Caballero as having an edge against Tampa Bay, saying, "I'm glad he has an extra chip on his shoulder playing against the Rays," according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
Caballero put it in his own words, too: "The environment, the people here, facing my old teammates, it's just the little things that get me going," Caballero said, according to the New York Post's Greg Joyce.
If Boone wants to lean on matchups, Caballero has at least shown he can handle the Rays. In 15 games against them, he is hitting .239/.271/.522 with four homers, 11 RBIs and four steals in a 46-at-bat sample.
He also has two multi-homer games against Tampa Bay since that trade, including one on Aug. 19, 2025.
The Yankees are searching for a spark, and Caballero offers the clearest path to one. For Game 2, the McMahon-for-Caballero swap feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity.
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