Lemahieu Is Ice Cold, But Peraza's Getting Hot

Well, well, well—at long last, we can all stop screaming into the void about the Yankees needing an infielder. Peace and quiet at last! Jazz Chisholm is sliding over to second base, his natural habitat, and the Yankees have declared an all-out battle royale for third base. DJ LeMahieu, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Oswald Peraza are set to duke it out, and may the best man win.

Now, I’ll be honest. I was firmly in Camp LeMahieu. His bat has been a rock for the Yankees over the years—at least, until injuries started treating him like their personal punching bag. I had high hopes that DJ would shake off the rust and find his groove again. But so far this spring? Yikes.

To make matters worse, the injury bug just won’t leave him alone. On Saturday, DJ tweaked his calf in his second at-bat. Déjà vu, anyone? Flashback to last year. Now, he’s likely heading for the shelf again, and as a DJ fan, that stings. But hey, baseball doesn’t stop for heartbreak.

With DJ potentially out, I’m throwing my weight behind Oswald Peraza. And before you ask, “What about Cabrera?”—hear me out. Cabrera can do anything and that’s exactly why I like him as a super-utility player. Peraza, though? He’s got something to prove, and he knows it.

“This year is really, really important for my career,” Peraza admitted. He’s out of minor league options and fully aware that the pressure is on. He wants to stay a Yankee, even if it means warming the bench.

Let’s not forget, Peraza tore it up in Triple-A in 2022, earned a September call-up, and hit .306 in 18 games. Sure, he’s had his ups and downs, but this spring, he’s got one mission: shine or sit.

So far, his numbers look promising: On February 21, he went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run. Against the Cardinals on February 26, he went 1-for-2 with a run, and on February 28, he went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run.

While injuries and inconsistency have kept him from locking down a permanent spot, Peraza has looked sharp on defense at both third and short. His bat-to-ball skills seem to be improving—no strikeouts in his first four games—and while he hasn’t shown off his base-stealing prowess yet, his speed is still a weapon. He’s already legging out double-play attempts and scoring with ease from second base.

So yeah, I’m all in on Peraza at third. Maybe shortstop isn’t in the cards for him, but the left side of the infield feels like home. And yes, I’m rooting for him. Hard.