New York Yankees' Shortstop Controversy Takes Another Twist

Heading into the 2026 MLB campaign, New York Yankees fans were fed up with Anthony Volpe, and many of them were relieved that Jose Caballero would be manning shortstop while Volpe recovered from shoulder surgery.

Talk about rubbing salt into the wound.

Volpe slashed .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs and 72 RBI over 596 plate appearances last season, playing most of the campaign with a bum shoulder. He also struggled in the field, which was uncharacteristic of the former Gold Glover (you could probably chalk that up to the torn rotator cuff).

Yankees fans grew beyond tired of the team's undying commitment to Volpe, which I still find strange considering they didn't have any issue with Austin Wells in the lineup (many of them still don't in spite of his .533 OPS).

So when Volpe returned to action last month, the Bronx collectively groaned. In fact, the only reason the former first-round pick was even forced on to the roster was because Caballero — who had been playing very well — was placed on the injured list with a fractured finger.

But now, here we are in the latter half of June, and both Volpe and Caballero are aboard. And you know what? They're both performing.

After going 2-for-3 with an RBI during New York's win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night, Volpe is now slashing .265/.371/.386 with a home run and 13 RBI across 97 plate appearances.

Sure, the sample size is small, but Volpe is hitting well enough — while also playing a fine shortstop, by the way — to at least temporarily silence his detractors.

Yes, there are some concerns with Volpe's underlying numbers. His .339 BABIP indicates he has gotten a bit lucky. His 4.8 percent barrel rate is well below his lifetime average of 7.4 percent. His hard-hit percentage (38.1 percent) isn't eye-opening, either.

But Volpe's incredible 14.4 percent walk rate has been a major development in his approach and has allowed him to become a very valuable member of the lineup.

Will it last? We'll see. Volpe has never been one for free passes. He owns a lifetime .287 OBP and 7.6 percent walk rate, so this could be a bit fluky. Maybe pitchers are just throwing it out of the zone when Volpe comes to the dish for some reason.

Or, perhaps the 25-year-old has genuinely improved his plate discipline and can now utilize it as a result.

It's also important to remember that prior to Volpe suffering his shoulder injury in May 2025, he was actually playing some pretty good baseball. Yes, I understand that doesn't change his two years of subpar offense in 2023 and 2024, but it's hard to gauge his performance last season because he was banged up.

Now, Volpe is healthy, and he is surely making the Yankees think twice about his future with the club. Do I think he will remain at shortstop long term? No. I actually think George Lombard Jr. could swipe that job from him next season, but with Jazz Chisholm headed for free agency, I could see Volpe moving over to second base.

Many Yankees fans have already come to a conclusion on Volpe, refusing to let go of his miserable 2025 campaign ... and perhaps forgetting that he actually has a somewhat decent playoff track record.

But maybe we jumped the gun too quickly on the hometown kid, who has been more than respectable since returning five weeks ago.

Yankees Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Yankees. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.