It looks like Oswaldo Cabrera‘s toughest opponent isn’t a pitcher—it’s the clock! In a heart-stopping Yankees vs. Cardinals game yesterday, this unexpected rivalry cost the Yankees a crucial win, and Cabrera knows it all too well. With the Yankees down by just one run in the ninth inning, Cabrera stepped up to the plate. The count was 3-2, and every pitch was do-or-die. Tension was at an all-time high, and then disaster struck.

Cabrera missed the critical 8-second mark at the most inopportune moment. With only one strike left, he was automatically called out, abruptly ending the Yankees’ hopes of a dramatic comeback. The timing couldn’t have been worse—the Yankees were already struggling to maintain their slim lead on the scoreboard, and this blunder sealed their fate.

Feeling the sting of the moment, Cabrera didn’t shy away from the blame. He took full responsibility for the loss, calling it “his fault,” and acknowledging the weight of his mistake. The Yankees and their fans were left wondering what could have been if not for that split-second misstep.

How did Oswaldo Cabrera’s pitch-clock violation impact the Yankees?

The Yankees would have been in a different position if the utility player had managed to either walk or hit.  Up until then, Juan Soto had already made to double with two outs in the inning, which could have been the key play to drive Cabrera in from the first base. So, from a fraction of a second, the innings would have been completely different! By the way, the player thought he made the mark. “I thought that I was in time,” Cabrera said.

But the home plate umpire, Ben May, felt differently. who was sure that the player wasn’t engaged by the eight-second mark and ruled him out for the same. After he was out, there wasn’t much time for The Yanks to lead back. But Later in the inning, they got one chance to turn things around. The tying run was on second base, and the winning run was on first. If there had been one hit, the team would have won. Unfortunately, Austin Wells struck out swinging, sealing the 6-5 loss for the Yankees. It feels like it wasn’t their day after all!

But was it all Cabrera’s fault? That’s a tough call and might vary depending on who you ask. Though the player himself feels it was on him, saying,” I have to get better in those situations because [those are] the rules.” While the team manager, Aaron Boone, hadn’t seen the replay, he was kind of sure that there wasn’t much ground for an argument with Ben. However, he was rather upset with how things turned out. Who can blame him? 

Aaron Boone’s reaction to how things turned out

Well, Boone didn’t point fingers directly at Cabrera; instead, he shouldered the responsibility on the whole team, saying, “We’ve all played with them now for a couple of years, so it’s on all of us.” They have been playing for years, but ever  Since the rule was introduced last year, Yankees hitters have racked up 13 violations—four in 2023 and nine so far in 2024. So it’s safe to say the clock has never been a friend of the Bronx. And Oswaldo is just an addition to it, although, for him, it comes with tougher consequences.

The sting hit particularly hard on Saturday because it was only the second time in his career that he got to start at first base. Before the game, Boone was practically glowing about Oswaldo Cabrera, praising the 25-year-old who’s filled in at nearly every position except the center field and catcher this year. Given his recent performance, Boone believed he truly deserved this chance. Uff, who could have predicted such a dramatic flip? But let’s not judge Cabrera by just one mistake—every player has their off days. The big question now is, when will Cabrera get another shot to start at first base? 

With Anthony Rizzo likely returning from his rehab assignment on Sunday, Cabrera’s opportunities there might be limited for the rest of the season. Will we see him back at first anytime soon? As for the Yankees, the pitch clock violation has impacted their score to 79-59. While they are still on top, the Orioles aren’t that far away with 78-59. Will the Yankees be able to maintain the lead? Or will the competition catch up? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments!