A Peritonsillar Abscess Just Landed Ryan McMahon on the IL, and the Yankees' Lineup Is a Hospital Ward

Alright, you guys are NOT going to believe this, but the Yankees just hit another speed bump, and this one is wild. We're talking about a throat infection, seriously. Third baseman Ryan McMahon has been placed on the 10-day injured list with what's called a peritonsillar abscess. Meanwhile, they're scrambling to call up utility man Oswaldo Cabrera from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. It sounds rough, and honestly, the Yankees' injury list is starting to look like an actual hospital ward over there in New York.

McMahon's Gnarly Situation and How It Got So Bad

McMahon himself broke it down, saying he had a sore throat and infection, then it turned into this peritonsillar abscess that got removed today. He was told to chill on activity for 72 hours, so the IL was the only move. The dude's feeling "so much better right now" after the draining procedure at 7:30 a.m. but he's got an "open wound" in there, which is just gross. He last played on Sunday, and his IL stint got backdated to Monday, meaning the earliest he could be eligible for activation is July 2, but with an off-day, we might not see him back in their lineup until July 3. This whole thing started June 15, but McMahon said it was "nothing like it was the last four or five days" and only became "unmanageable" by Sunday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said it was a relief just knowing McMahon is recovering and "feeling a lot better" because the "last couple days were rough for him." McMahon, acquired from the Rockies before the 2025 trade deadline, has been hitting .210/.269/.360 with eight hom

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ers over 69 games this season, rocking a .635 OPS in a Yankees uniform.

The Injury Pile-Up and Cabrera's Big Shot

So, this isn't just about McMahon. The Yankees are seriously banged up. They already have THREE other hitters from their Opening Day starting lineup chilling on the IL: Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Trent Grisham. And if that wasn't enough, Opening Day starting pitcher Max Fried is also sidelined. Boone's just out here saying, "Obviously, we have some guys down right now. We'll see. Everyone can play, and we'll just play it day by day." They've had Amed Rosario and José Caballero filling in at third in McMahon's absence. This opens the door wide for Cabrera. The 27-year-old hasn't played in the Majors since fracturing his left ankle last May, which needed surgery. But Boone is hyped, saying Cabrera's "playing well" and "gotten better each month" in Triple-A, where he had a .727 OPS this season. He's a switch-hitter who can play all over, but he's logged more starts at third than anywhere else in his four MLB seasons. Boone even called him a "human ray of sunshine," adding, "Oswaldo Cabrera, man, that's as good as it gets." The guy brings "a certain joy that's infectious." He's a career .234/.295/.346 hitter with 20 dingers over 302 games, but the Yanks are "excited" about his hitting from the right side. While the Yankees are dealing with an actual infirmary, it'll be interesting to see if Cabrera can step up and fill some big shoes. Can they keep it together with so many key guys out? They'll need that "infectious joy" big time. Meanwhile, back here in the Emerald City, our Mariners just grinded out a 3-2 win against the Pirates. Go M's!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.