With Jose Caballero out on the injured list with a fracture in his right middle finger, the New York Yankees have had to turn to their backup shortstops to fill the gap.
Utility man Max Schuemann started the first two games of the Yankees series against Baltimore, and Anthony Volpe made his season debut, starting game three against the Orioles.
Obviously, the Yankees prefer Caballero over Volpe and Schuemann. It was Caballero who earned the job over the first month of the season when Volpe was rehabbing in Triple-A. Caballero performed so well that the Yankees did not even bring Volpe back to the big league squad when his rehab assignment was up, instead choosing to demote him to Triple-A permanently.
Now Volpe is back, and he will be temporarily taking over at the shortstop position until Caballero, the man who once replaced him, is ready to return.
Caballero earned the job over Volpe by being an elite baserunner, and his good at-bats, which have been described as scrappy. One underrated part of his game, however, was his defense. Caballero was a steady presence at shortstop defensively, and even in the three games without him on the field, it is clear the Yankees’ defense is worse off without him.
The Yankees Shortstops Can’t Stop Committing Errors
Jose Caballero had not committed an error at shortstop since April 13th, and has tallied just three errors over 49 starts at shortstop. Caballero’s .982 fielding percentage was a testament to his strong defense at the position.
Since losing Caballero, the Yankees have now had an error committed back-to-back days by their shortstop. On May 12th, Schuemann committed a throwing error, his first of the season. Then, on May 13th, in his first game of the season, Volpe committed a fielding error, his first of the season.
If Volpe was hoping to make a good impression in his return to New York, making a fielding mistake in his first game back with the team was probably not what he had in mind.
It’s possible these are just two games of bad luck in the field, but early evidence suggests that without Caballero, the Yankees’ infield defense is not as strong as it was with him on the field.
How Might the Yankees Move Forward With Anthony Volpe?
One of the biggest questions of the season so far for the Yankees has been what the plan is for Volpe, their former top prospect, who has now been replaced by Caballero, a veteran journeyman.
Will Volpe stay on the Yankees’ roster when Caballero returns? He could stay on the team as a backup infielder, replacing Schuemann. Schuemann is not as talented as Volpe, but he is more versatile and gives New York better roster flexibility. It’s possible the Yankees want Volpe to stay in Triple-A, where he can get everyday reps at shortstop, instead of riding the bench in the MLB.
It probably depends on how the next week goes for Volpe. He will have at least two series to prove himself before Caballero returns. If Volpe plays well, the team will probably make room for him. If not, it’s likely back to the grind of Triple-A.
New York Yankees Defense Already Measurably Worse Without Starting Shortstop