Playing for the New York Yankees, Panama’s José “Chema” Caballero is Improving his Game
José “Chema” Caballero, a player from Santa Fe in Panama, now plays for the New York Yankees. ‘Chema’ Caballero was unexpectedly signed by the Yankees, and almost three weeks later, the utility player has improved his game.
Panamanian José “Chema” Caballero was surprisingly traded at the last minute from the Tampa Bay Rays to the New York Yankees. The Santa Fe native didn’t have the best start in his debut, but he’s gradually been getting more at-bats, playing in more games, and his numbers have improved. In the 2025 regular season, with the Rays, the Panamanian “Chema” played in 85 games, for a batting average of .227, with 2 home runs, with 27 runs scored and 37 RBIs and had stolen 34 bases, his specialty and leading the American League in this department.
Since his debut on August 1st until this Wednesday, August 20th, “Chema” Caballero has seen action in 12 games and is hitting .348 offensively, with 2 home runs, and 6 stolen bases, for a total of 40 steals this season. Caballero currently leads the American League with 40 stolen bases. In the two-game series with the Rays, Caballero hit two home runs in the first game, which they won 13-3. In the second game, the New York team won again 6-4, in which the Panamanian was ejected for protesting a referee’s call. After the match, Caballero admitted that he was wrong to protest and added that he had learned his lesson.
