The most perilous Yankee period is upon us: It's Cashman Time

Well, the Babadook is here. 

We should have foreseen it, when Anthony Rizzo last week showed modest signs of primordial life. Rizzo homered dramatically against KC, temporarily salvaging a game that, in the end, would become a walk-off debacle. He followed with a 2-hit game, marching to the "Get hot & get hurt" mantra that has haunted Yankee hitters for a decade.

By now, you know that Rizzo will miss 4-to-6 weeks with a broken wrist. The way the Yankee front office soft-soaps injuries, it's reasonable to expect him to miss 6-to-8 weeks, if not longer. That would put his return in September, when God knows where the Yankees will be, and whether an open slot will exist for him. 

Considering the team's a $6 million 2025 buyout option - (as opposed to paying him $17 million) - the Anthony Rizzo Era may have ended with the Yankees. Between now and September, it's hard to imagine Cooperstown Cashman standing pat at 1B, especially the way DJ LeMahieu has been driving balls into the ground. 

Whatever happens - (thinking Yank fans always fear the worst) - it will likely cost Rizzo his future in the Bronx. Six weeks away from his 35th birthday, the guy was hitting just .223 with 8 HRs. Among MLB starting first basemen, Rizzo ranked 22nd out of 24 in OPS (a meager .630), just ahead of Detroit's recently demoted Spencer Torkelson.  

In a nutshell, the Babadook. At Scranton, the Yankees have a 6'5" oak named TJ Rumfield, who is batting .303 but with only 5 HRs. He's said to be good with a glove, and he bats LH, which helps. He's 24, signed out of Virginia Tech, and I gotta believe the fan base would love to see a broad-shouldered galoot, who at least looks good coming off the bus. But who are we kidding? Five HRs? Cashman wants something with pop.  

There's also Ben Rice, a 25-year-old ex-Dartmouth Greenie - (Alphonso's alma mater, by the way) - who is still listed as a catcher, though  he's transitioning to first. At Scranton, he's 14 for 42 (.333) with 3 HRs. (He had 12 HRs at Double A, so there's power.) But we must worry about his glove. Also, he bats RH, a bummer. 

Which means Cashman is working the phones. One possibility: 37-year-old Jose Abreu, who was released last week by the Astros, after compiling some of the worst numbers north of Joey Gallo. Abreu was hitting .124 with 2 HRs, and he bats RH, without a platoon pathway. The only advantage: Houston will pay his salary. 

Somewhere out there, some journeyman 1B might soon receive the opportunity of a lifetime - being injected into NYC pennant race. But Yank fans have every reason to fear the worst. The Babadook is here. Voldemort. Baltimore...