Oswaldo Cabrera's hot bat has been a key part of Yankees' September success

The reasons for the Yankees’ best prolonged play since late May into early June are vast.

There has been the performance of the starting rotation – which brought a 3.04 ERA since Aug. 20 (27 games) into Tuesday night – and the continued season-long excellence of the bullpen, which has an MLB-best 3.28 ERA.

Individually, Gleyber Torres has been terrific for much of the season. In the last month-plus in particular, he's slashing .310/.404/.557 with nine homers, 12 doubles and 27 runs in 42 games since Aug. 1.

Then there is the switch-hitting Oswaldo Cabrera. The 24-year-old utility man, who started Tuesday in left, came into the night 8-for-25 (.320) with one homer, two doubles and four runs on the Yankees’ most recent trip through Boston and Pittsburgh, in which they went 5-2. A small sample size, to be sure, but not insignificant for a player who, since making his big-league debut on Aug. 17, 2022, has shown considerable abilities with his glove, but not much at the plate.

“[He’s] putting the fastball in play with authority,” Aaron Boone said before the game of what’s been difference for Cabrera. “It’s been so good to see, he’s been working so hard to get himself right. It’s been a struggle all year offensively. I feel like the last 10 days, I feel like day-in and day-out it’s been a lot of really good at-bats. Even a lot of his outs, he’s smoking the ball. We’ve talked about all year, it’s kind of been he’s getting that pitch [to hit] and he’s fouling it off. Now he’s putting it in play with authority and that’s a credit to him and his work and all that he’s been through. Hopefully he continues to finish on a high note.”

Free screening

In conjunction with Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, for the 10th straight year Fans for the Cure is teaming up with the Yankees, along with Montefiore Hospital, to offer prostate cancer screening before and during Wednesday night’s game.

According to Fans for the Cure, “fans are encouraged to visit the area near Main Level Section 220 where medical personnel will be standing by to administer quick and simple PSA blood tests.”

The first 300 men over the age of 40 will receive a voucher for two complimentary tickets to be redeemed at selected home games during the 2024 season based on availability.