Yankees in love with Jose Caballero, formerly a hated pest

TAMPA, Fla. — Jose Caballero’s face lit up.

The utility man broke into a huge smile after being told over the weekend in St. Louis how his new manager acknowledged the level of “hate” he had for Caballero from the opposing dugout over the years.

“It makes me feel really good because that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to make them hate me,” Caballero said. “I don’t want them to like me. I’m just trying to mess with them. I don’t want them to have the full attention on what they’re doing. I’d rather them have a little more attention on me and to try to hate me.”

Caballero, whom rookie righthander Will Warren admiringly called “a pest,” which also caused the 28-year-old to smile, has been everything the Yankees could have hoped for, and more, since being acquired from the Rays before the trade deadline.

In 11 games with the Yankees, Caballero, who did not start Wednesday night in the series finale against the Rays, was hitting .364 (8-for-22) with two homers, a double and five stolen bases. Both homers came in Tuesday night’s 13-3 victory when the Yankees went deep nine times, and the latter number upped Caballero’s stolen base total to 39, the most in baseball.

“[He’s had] a huge impact,” Cody Bellinger, who also homered twice Tuesday, said of Caballero. “Just a gamer, fun guy to be around. Really, really good energy, and just a really good baseball player. He does everything really well. He’s added a lot to this team.”

Indeed, Caballero is the prototype of the player you loathe from the opposing dugout but want in yours.

“I couldn’t stand him playing against him, and now he’s turning into one of my favorite players,” Boone said with a smile in St. Louis.

One such example of the former came during a 2023 game when Caballero was with the Mariners. In an effort to throw off Gerrit Cole’s timing, Caballero repeatedly stepped out of the batter’s box, causing the Yankees ace to eventually unleash a 97-mph fastball to the backstop.

Cole would strike Caballero out with a 98-mph fastball to end the inning, and proceeded to stare down the hitter on his way off the mound, the ace also wagging his finger in the direction of the Seattle dugout and then-manager Scott Servais.

Boone, yelling from the Yankees’ dugout that day, also had some words for Caballero, an incident the player and manager had a hearty laugh about soon after he joined the club.

“A smart, tough, winning player,” Boone said in describing Caballero.

The Yankees, of course, acquired Caballero for those reasons and not because of his ability to get under the skin of the opposition (though they’re certainly happy to have that as a bonus). The Yankees were looking to upgrade defensively and Caballero plays multiple positions well. He’s already started games at third, short, second and in rightfield.

The Yankees were also looking to get more athletic on the bases, wanting to add another stolen base threat to go with Jazz Chisholm Jr. (21 steals), Jasson Dominguez (20) and Anthony Volpe (15).

“I told him, I hated playing against him for that reason, because you can see his speed. He just always puts pressure on the other team,” Paul Goldschmidt said. “He’s definitely made a difference…He’s a really valuable asset for us and can do it in so many different ways. I’m glad we have him.”

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.