The New York Yankees head into the 2026 season looking to remain atop the American League East. The incumbent champions, the Toronto Blue Jays, did their best to load up during the offseason.
The Yankees, meanwhile, failed to add the sort of star power that could compete with the Jays and the Boston Red Sox. Plus, resurgent campaigns by the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays could make winning the AL East a tad more complicated.
As such, the lackluster offseason by the Bronx Bombers has left the club with one crucial lineup hole: Shortstop.
At the moment, Anthony Volpe remains on the shelf recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. But even if Volpe were ready to return tomorrow, he’s hardly a guaranteed top-tier fit. While Volpe is a fine defender, he’s had his ups and downs from time to time.
Moreover, Volpe’s bat is a bit of a question mark. After slugging 21 homers in 2023, his numbers dipped to 12 in 2024, but rebounded to 19 last year. However, the Yankees infielder’s RBIs and batting average have remained on par with his career averages.
Volpe hit .212 last season, with his on-base percentage dipping from .293 to .272. His OPS, meanwhile, continues to hover around his career average, coming in at. 663 last season.
Those numbers won’t impress anyone, but if Volpe can stay healthy and play gold-glove defense, he could get a pass. But that may be more wishful thinking than anything else.
Yankees Other Shortstop Option Not Overly Impressive Either
At the moment, Fangraphs projects Jose Caballero as the Yankees’ Opening Day shortstop. Caballero is a good defensive option with great speed. However, he doesn’t offer much in the way of slugging.
In 2025, the Panamanian infielder hit five dingers in 126 games. While he drove in 36 runs, his slugging percentage topped out at .341. Again, those aren’t overly impressive numbers, leading to questions about how well Caballero could fill in the shortstop role.
Make no mistake, the Yankees have a decent starting shortstop in Caballero. But questions will emerge regarding the need for an upgrade. That’s something that the club could be looking into as the season progresses.
Experimenting Won’t Solve Much this Season
The Yankees could resort to experimenting this season. That’s the feeling gleaned from trying Ryan McMahon out at shortstop. McMahon has been a decent third baseman in New York. However, shifting him over to short would likely mean moving Jazz Chisholm, Jr. over to third. With Chisholm Jr. slated for second, Caballero could hop over to Chisholm Jr.’s spot. That sort of experimentation may not yield the desired results.
The only way such a move would make sense is if the Yankees could find a bat to upgrade at second or third, making McMahon a viable alternative at short. But that situation also hinges on McMahon excelling defensively at shortstop. If he fails to play the position well, the experiment would be pointless.
Ultimately, the Yankees will need to target an upgrade at shortstop sooner rather than later. That’s just one of the holes the Yanks will need to look into this season.
Yankees Could Have Major Lineup Hole in 2026