The New York Yankees decided to leave Anthony Volpe on the big league roster, even with Jose Caballero returning from a finger injury. Instead, the club opted to send outfielder Spencer Jones to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre when activating their starting shortstop.
That decision creates a logjam on the Yankees’ infield. Caballero won the starting shortstop job out of spring and played well before his injury.
While the 29-year-old was on the mend, Volpe acquitted himself well over the 10 days. The young shortstop slashed .217/.400/.304 with two doubles, three RBI, and seven walks in eight games. That performance was good enough to keep him on the roster following Caballero’s return.
“He’s come up and performed at a very high level,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “It’s been four days of really good at-bats, which is good to see, and he’s made a handful of really good plays. Impactful on the bases, it’s exciting.”
Volpe was not in the Yankees’ lineup for May 22, as Caballero gets the start at shortstop in his return from the injured list.
Yankees Reveal Plan for Anthony Volpe
Caballero’s return cuts into Volpe’s playing time at shortstop. To keep his bat in the lineup, they’ll have to get creative.
The solution appears to be getting him work at the other middle infield spot. Aaron Boone told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, that Volpe and Caballero will split time at shortstop. On days that Volpe does not start at shortstop, he will work out at second base to increase his defensive utility to the club.
The Yankees already have a second baseman established in Jazz Chisholm Jr., but the club has ways to divvy up starts. Jones’ demotion frees up the designated hitter spot a little more, allowing Boone to mix and match his infield.
Another reason to get Volpe in at second base is matchups. Chisholm is a left-handed bat and has scuffled a bit against left-handed pitching. Entering play on May 22, he is hitting .233 with a .605 OPS and a strikeout rate north of 30%. Volpe is a right-handed bat that could create a platoon advantage for the club when creating their lineups.
Yankees Infield Situation Gets Crowded
With Caballero coming off an injury, there is a return to play protocol that will allow Volpe to still play semi-regularly at shortstop. Once the 29-year-old infielder reassumes the everyday role, that’s when the lineup crunches begin for the Yankees.
Another situation to monitor will be Ryan McMahon’s performance. The slick-fielding infielder is off to a miserable start to 2026, slashing .192/.261/.315 as the strong side of the third base platoon. The 31-year-old is in the final year of his contract and is earning $16 million.
On the bench, both Amed Rosario and Max Schuemann are right-handed bats. In addition to Volpe, the Yankees have a logjam of right-handed infield bats. The club may address that once their outfield gets healthier, with the return of Trent Grisham, Giancarlo Stanton, and Jasson Dominguez looming.
If the Yankees cut ties with their underperforming third baseman, it would create the shakeup that frees up everyday at-bats for Volpe.
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