BRONX, NY — José Caballero sat quietly and scanned his phone in the visitors clubhouse at Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon. A long day over after a rain delay, the Tampa Bay Rays took two of three from the Yankees and won another series.
The Rays are showing six weeks into their season, they intend to hang around and contend for the American League East division crown or wild card spot. A team that doesn’t hit many home runs but finds a way to win ball games with patient at-bats, speed, and getting innings from their starting rotation.
“It’s baseball and getting wins in different ways,” Caballero said. “This is a team trying to stay in games and push other things and do our best to put the ball in play and do small things. We have power hitters as well. Whole team doing anything to win.”
Image Credit: MLB
The Rays did everything to win in the Bronx after losing the opener 3-0 Friday evening. The Yankees as everyone knows don’t succumb easy, trailing 7-3 and their comeback came up short Sunday 7-5.
And quietly, Caballero finds ways to contribute. The native of Panama where very few reach the Major League Baseball level, was not in the starting lineup for manager Kevin Cash. He got the start Saturday at third base and was shifted to right field in the late innings. His one hit in four-at-bats drove in his 11th RBI of the season.
Caballero, though is not concerned about the numbers, he loves the game of baseball. It’s been his passion since childhood in Panama. One hit or four home runs or a RBI, he will take that when it comes. What matters is the surroundings of teammates and of course getting wins as the Rays completed in the Bronx.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
And the speed he offers on the bases coming off the bench. Caballero came off the bench as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning at first in place of Jonathan Aranda who hit a third inning solo home run off Yankees starter Will Warren for the Rays 2-0 lead.
The Rays marked their first series win in the Bronx since a three-game set of last season in late July and playing good baseball, 7-4 in their last 11 games.
“It’s the entire team,” Caballero said. “We gotta play good defense to keep the game tied and close to fight for the win. The small things. Try to take the extra 90 feet. Try and do the little things.”
On Saturday, the Rays swiped a season-high six stolen bases. Caballero produced a run in the second inning with a single to right. He would advance to second on a fielder’s choice and later steal third, scoring on a sacrifice fly to center.
It’s those little things he refers to that win ball games. And why Caballero, with his eighth steal is instrumental in the lineup on off the bench. He ranks second in the AL and ninth in the majors with 78 steals since the beginning of 2023. He led the AL last season and tied for third in baseball with 44 last year. However, Caballero is used to his role that was similar with the Mariners before his trade to Tampa Bay in January of 2024.
“Always ready to come in the game,” he said. “We always ready, yourself and all the other players as well. “We need to be ready to contribute.”
He along with his teammates are still adjusting to playing in front of home crowds at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the Yankees minor league and spring training facility. The Rays have a temporary home as Tropicana Field continues the renovation process caused by damages of Hurricane Milton. It’s a different atmosphere and the Rays will be playing more games on the road to avoid the heat and humidity conditions of an open air stadium in the Tampa months of July and August.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“Difficult for us, we don’t have our field,” Caballero said. “It doesn’t matter as a team all the bad comes around us. We going to try and do our best to keep fighting for this division and get in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter. It’s 81 at home 81 away. We just need to be ready.”
But this is New York City, Yankee Stadium. He loves the atmosphere. He takes in the restaurants, bright lights, and knows New York is a baseball town. The Rays visit the Bronx again at the end of July for a four-game series. And next month another visit across town, a three-game series at Citi Field against the Mets.
“I have liked the Yankees since I was a kid in Panama,” he said. “Mariano Rivera,” referring to a fellow Panamanian and Yankees Hall of Famer, the all-time MLB career leader in saves.
Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
He was not vouching for a trade to the Bronx.
“I love this team, Tampa Bay,” said Caballero.
And that’s what matters whether it be stealing another base in New York or in Tampa Bay.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and contributor at LatinoSports.com – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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