PITTSBURGH — Oswaldo Cabrera picked the seventh inning of a tie game to hit left-handed against a left-hander for the first time in his professional career.
The switch-hitting Cabrera had been kicking around the idea of late since he was feeling more comfortable from the left side while working to get himself back on track, though he had only tried it in the batting cage.
But when the Pirates brought in lefty reliever Ryan Borucki with one out and a runner on first in a tie game Sunday, Cabrera decided to give it a shot.
The result? A strikeout on the way to the Yankees’ 3-2 loss at PNC Park.
“That was a strikeout, but at the same time, I felt OK,” Cabrera said. “I know the situation was tied, but at the same time, I was like, ‘Why not?’ I have to try. What can happen? I [had] never played first base and I played it. I [had] never played center field and I played it. So, why not?”
Cabrera had discussed batting left-handed against Pirates lefty reliever Jose Hernandez on Saturday night, but the inning ended before he got the chance.
“With Borucki there, probably would have preferred him to stay from the right side,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But something he’s been toying with in certain matchups.”
Cabrera, a natural right-handed hitter, has almost identical splits this season — albeit with some more pop from the right side — but reiterated that he has been feeling more comfortable from the left side lately.
As for whether he might give up switch hitting in the future and concentrate strictly on the left side?
“I’m not thinking about it right now,” Cabrera said. “But I’m just working so hard on my lefty swing to get that swing like I like.”
“No plans of that right now,” added Boone. “But you never know.”
Frankie Montas (shoulder surgery) threw a one-inning start Sunday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, giving up one run on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts on 17 pitches.
It marked the beginning of a rehab assignment that is not expected to result in Montas seeing The Bronx before he hits free agency this offseason.
Anthony Misiewicz (concussion symptoms) was set to fly back to New York with the team on Sunday, two days after taking a 100.6 mph line drive off the head.
The reliever came to PNC Park before Saturday’s game and had “a smile on his face and little pep in his step,” Boone said.
“All the original scans and tests are good,” Boone said.
“We’ll continue to monitor it. He’ll see all our people when we get home too.”
Everson Pereira sat out a fourth straight game Sunday with a bothersome leg after slipping on the stairs in Boston.
“He’s doing OK,” Boone said. “Still day-to-day. Today’s not the day. We’ll see. Hopefully today and the off day, he’ll be back in play on Tuesday.”
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