Seeing the injury left Carlos Mendoza feeling “devastated.”
The Mets manager had previously collaborated with Yankees utility player Oswald Cabrera after he joined the team from Venezuela.
However, Mendoza, once a bench coach for the Yankees, witnessed Cabrera suffer a broken left ankle while sliding into home plate during the ninth inning on Monday, forcing him to exit on a stretcher.
“It’s tough witnessing him go down like that,” Mendoza expressed before the Mets faced the Pirates at Citifield on Tuesday. “He’s really fought hard, and I believe he’ll make it back on the field.”
Cabrera, now on the 10-day injury list, has played 167 games in the regular season. He had previously engaged with Mendoza in the Yankees’ dugout before Mendoza took over as Mets manager after the 2023 season.
Following the shocking scene at T-Mobile Park, it was clear how much Cabrera meant to the Yankees and their clubhouse. Outfielder Trent Grisham was seen tearing up during a post-game interview, while Manager Aaron Boone praised Cabrera as “the best of them.”
Even Aaron Judge remarked that the entire Yankees team felt a sense of sadness after the game.
Back in Queens, Mendoza was also feeling the weight of the situation. “I’m really hoping for his quick and complete recovery,” he said optimistically.
