New York Yankees fans need to come to grips with this Anthony Volpe reality.
The New York Yankees' lineup to start 2026 is basically identical to the one that ended 2025, except for one notable omission: Anthony Volpe.
Volpe is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and is slated for a late April return, so until then, Jose Caballero will be manning shortstop.
Not that Yankees fans are upset about that.
In fact, plenty of them are actually happy with the current arrangement and would prefer that Volpe, who was a punching bag for most of last season, takes his time in his rehab.
But those wanting Caballero at shortstop full time aren't seeing the big picture.
Make no mistake: Volpe will resume his job as starting shortstop once he returns, and that's in the best interest of New York.
Why? Not necessarily because Volpe is some sort of stalwart. Hard to make that argument with his lifetime .662 OPS. But because a large chunk of Caballero's value is built into his versatility.
Caballero is capable of playing basically every position, all while being a plus-defender in the process. Yes, he's an impressive shortstop, but the Yankees would be wasting his value if they played him there every day.
New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero. Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images.The 29-year-old played all over the diamond for New York in 2025, and the expectation is that he will fill that super utility role again this season.
I get the urge to move on from Volpe, but the Yanks aren't going to do it for Caballero, who doesn't exactly have a great bat himself.
Yes, Caballero slashed an impressive .266/.372/.456 over 95 plate appearances in the Bronx last year, but he owns a career .655 OPS. I guess you can argue that his late-season surge in 2025 was a sign of things to come, but it also could have bene the result of a very small sample size.
Caballero has gone 3-for-12 without a walk thus far this season, so it's not like he has been lighting it up at the plate over his first few games.
The Panamanian native is a very valuable piece to have, but again, that's due much in part to his defensive versatility rather than his offensive talent.
Once Volpe is ready to hit the field, Caballero will return to a bench role, and that's where he is best utilized.
As for Volpe? If he struggles yet again in 2026, at least the Yankees have George Lombard Jr. waiting in the wings.
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