The Yankees have a decision to make on Anthony Volpe, and the clock is ticking. Instead of making his long-awaited return to the Bronx on Friday for the series opener against the Orioles, the 25-year-old shortstop found himself batting second for Double-A Somerset. Manager Aaron Boone confirmed that Volpe will continue his rehab assignment in Somerset through the weekend, with a reevaluation scheduled for after Sunday's game.
Volpe has been working his way back from offseason labrum surgery, and his 20-day rehab clock will expire on Monday. That leaves the Yankees with two distinct options: activate him to the major league roster or option him to the minors. The latter would mark a significant shift in how the organization has handled their young shortstop, who has been a fixture in the lineup since debuting in 2023. Despite three seasons of below-average offensive production and a defensive performance that suffered as he played through the labrum tear, Boone and general manager Brian Cashman have consistently backed Volpe.
Just a few weeks ago, Cashman stated that the plan was "always" for Volpe to reclaim the starting shortstop job. But that was before José Caballero started making a compelling case for himself. The 29-year-old career utility man has been on fire, capitalizing on his opportunity to start at shortstop. Over his last 18 games, Caballero has posted a .338 average with a .915 OPS, three home runs, 10 RBIs, and seven stolen bases. For the season, he leads the league with 12 stolen bases while hitting .267 with a .713 OPS, three homers, and 11 RBIs across 30 games.
Meanwhile, Volpe entered Friday with a .303 average and a .717 OPS over 10 rehab games and 34 plate appearances split between Double-A and Triple-A. Boone acknowledged the situation, saying, "Where we are right now in time, I don't think it hurts to have some more runway for him. Cabby is obviously playing very well for us. So I just want it to be a situation where we're giving Anthony every chance to come in and be successful, but also taking note of what's going on with our club as well."
For Yankees fans and fantasy baseball enthusiasts alike, this is a developing story worth watching. Whether Volpe returns to reclaim his role or Caballero continues to shine, the shortstop position in New York is suddenly full of intrigue. And for those looking to rep their favorite player, now might be the perfect time to grab some fresh Yankees gear—because either way, the Bombers are going to need their defense locked in for the long season ahead.