Position battles have a funny way of working themselves out in spring training, and for the New York Yankees, it appears their contested third base role may be starting to do that.

When DJ LeMahieu went down with a calf injury over the weekend, it cleared the way for Oswaldo Peraza and Oswald Cabrera to try and win the job.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone seems comfortable giving them an extended look as LeMahieu recovers.

“Regardless of anything going on with DJ, I very much envisioned Oswaldo in that mix, especially against right-handed pitching,” he said, per MLB.com's CJ Haddad. “We’ll see how it shakes off – if that means more playing time for [Cabrera], I don’t know. How much does Peraza push himself into the mix as a real option, whether it’s on a platoon scenario or what? It’s not just a spring thing, it’s something beyond, too.”

Peraza hasn't had many opportunities yet this spring, but Boone likes what he's seen so far. The 24-year-old is 4-12 this spring, making his most recent start on Sunday.

“I like how he looks so far,” Boone said. “I feel there’s an energy he’s bringing to the field every day, which is important. You’re seeing his defensive ability show. So far, he’s put together pretty good at-bats, too, so he could very much play himself into the mix.”

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Cabrera and Peraza's opportunity comes at the expense of LeMahieu, who is out to prove he can still produce in the big leagues. After a frustrating 2024 season, he got a vote of confidence from his manager before spring training games began.

“I’m not going to put anything past a healthy DJ LeMahieu and his ability to hit,” Boone said in February, per The Athletic. “Hopefully he’s healthy. Hopefully he’s one of those guys that kind of kicks the door in and grabs it and runs with it. (We) certainly know what he’s capable of, coupled with being outstanding defensively.”

Fast-forward to last Saturday, right after LeMahieu's injury, and Boone said it is “at least a little concerning.”

“You hate seeing that stuff just knowing what he’s gone through,” Boone added. “Tough news, but hopefully not something that’s too long.”

LeMahieu played just 67 games last year and never found his stride. He finished with an OPS+ of 51 by hitting .204 with two home runs over 201 at bats. He has two seasons and $30 million remaining on his contract.