An injury has forced the New York Yankees to shake up the shortstop position. Jose Caballero was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured right middle finger.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke to reporters before their game against the Baltimore Orioles. Boone was asked how long Caballero would be out for, and doesn’t believe it will be a prolonged absence for their starting shortstop.
“Hopefully it’s just the [minimum] 10 days, but we’ll see,” Boone told YES Network’s Meredith Marakovits. “It depends on how he heals the next few days.”
Boone revealed that despite the small fracture on Caballero’s right middle finger, the tendon and ligaments were intact. The stint on the injured list will allow the Yankees to avoid rushing him back onto the field and create an even worse situation.
“We just felt like we don’t want to risk him doing something more to it where it becomes something that he has to deal with it all summer.”
Caballero has been a solid all-around contributor for the Yankees. The 29-year-old has a .259/.320/.400 slash and a 105 wRC+. Beyond his contributions as a hitter, he is a good defender at shortstop with +9 Defensive Runs Saved and +2 Outs Above Average.
With the Yankees in a battle for the American League East division, every game could matter.
Anthony Volpe Named Starting Shortstop in Jose Caballero’s Absence
With Caballero out for at least the next 10 days, embattled shortstop Anthony Volpe was recalled from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre. The former first-rounder underwent surgery on his left shoulder in the offseason and lost the starting job.
The Yankees will start Max Schuemann at shortstop for the second game in a row, as Volpe makes his way to Baltimore. Boone expects the right-handed-hitting shortstop to be an option off the bench once he arrives. The club has already loaded its lineup with right-handed hitters against Trevor Rogers, a left-handed pitcher.
Beyond this game, Volpe should be the starting shortstop while Caballero is on the mend.
“I would expect Anthony to play a lot,” Boone told Marakovits.
This will be an opportunity for Volpe to show that he still belongs in the organization’s long-term plans. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is a free agent at the season’s conclusion, so there may be an opportunity for him there if he leaves a good impression in these next set of games.
Volpe is still controllable through the 2028 season, assuming he doesn’t spend another day in the minors. Top prospect George Lombard Jr. is fast-approaching, having been promoted to Triple-A already this season. Lombard is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 32 prospect. The clock is ticking on the former first-rounder to make good on his prospect pedigree.
Boone was asked about the reports on Volpe in Triple-A. In 18 minor league games between Double-A and Triple-A, Volpe is slashing .221/.276/.294 with one home run.
“Still kind of getting it going a bit. I watched the other day, just missed a ball to center. So he hasn’t gotten a lot of results yet. He’s had a number of at-bats, a lot of reps, a lot of playing time, kind of more than a full Spring Training. So hopefully, he’s ready to go and come up here and be a spark for us.”
Yankees Reveal Anthony Volpe Plans After Jose Caballero Injury