The New York Yankees have revealed lineup news regarding shortstop Anthony Volpe before a matchup against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, June 23.
Manager Aaron Boone told the Talkin’ Yanks show that Volpe will be on the bench for tonight’s game. The infielder had been in the lineup for four straight games. He picked up five hits in that stretch, including two knocks in yesterday’s 5-3 loss to Detroit.
The Volpe benching likely means Jose Caballero will man shortstop. New York will face off against right-hander Casey Mize. The club has dropped three straight and four of the past five games. Carlos Rodon will take the ball for the Yankees, looking to end the skid.
New York Yankees News Update: Anthony Volpe Benched Against the Detroit Tigers
Volpe missed the first six weeks of the season while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. The 25-year-old is putting together his best big-league campaign on offense. Volpe has a strong 118 wRC+ across 109 plate appearances. He only has one home run, but he’s stolen six bases. Volpe has never hit above .250 or posted an on-base percentage higher than .300 with the Yankees. This year, he’s hitting .269 with a .376 OBP.
Plate discipline improvements have been the primary driver behind Volpe’s improvement in 2026. He’s trimmed his strikeout rate to a manageable 21.1%. The infielder has boosted his walk rate to a massive 14.7%. Volpe has spiked some hefty walk rates in the minors, but He’s never been above 9.0% in the majors.
The shoulder injury could be sapping Volpe’s power, though it hasn’t affected him in the field. The shortstop has a neutral 0 Defensive Runs Saved through 241.1 innings. Statcast’s Outs Above Average paints a rosier picture, giving Volpe a +2 mark so far. Volpe earned a Gold Glove award in 2023. He’s been a positive defender in his previous three big-league seasons.
Can the Yankees Get Back on Track Against Mize and the Tigers?
The recent slide has trimmed the Yankees’ lead in the American League East standings down to two games over the Tampa Bay Rays. New York is still comfortably ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays, though the club did recently get back to a .500 record. The Baltimore Orioles have also won three straight to get within four games of an even .500 mark. The Boston Red Sox are not a factor at the moment.
The Yankees have cooled off on offense since Aaron Judge went down with a rib injury. The reigning AL MVP has been sidelined since the beginning of June. New York ranks 12th in wRC+ over that span. The team sits at 15th in runs scored for the month. Those rankings aren’t overly troublesome, but they’re a stark contrast from where the club was positioned before Judge went down. Through May, only the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves had scored more runs than the Yankees.
Mize returned last week after his second stint on the injured list with a groin injury. He failed to escape the fifth inning against the Houston Astros. The righty is likely still facing workload limitations, which means the Yankees could see an extended look at Detroit’s bullpen.
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