The Yankees did the unthinkable on Sunday. After the team’s 11-3 victory over the division rival Orioles, the Yankees optioned shortstop Anthony Volpe to AAA. This comes off the heals of Volpe’s rehab assignment ending, as he recovers from his shoulder injury.
Why Send Volpe down?
The Yankees have been reluctant to make this move in past years. Why was that? They did not have a viable replacement to do so. That changed last July when the Yankees acquired Jose Caballero from the Rays at the trade deadline. With Volpe out to begin the season, Caballero has taken advantage of the chance he had to steal a job. He has posted a .711 OPS in 116 at-bats this season. Above that, Caballero has ranked as the best defensive shortstops of the league, with his 7 defensive runs saved leading MLB, according to FanGraphs.
To take at-bats away from Caballero would be just unfair. Caballero has earned his shot at a starting job and has done a very good job with it so far. His baseball savant page shows that there should be regression coming with the way his bat plays, but until then, the Yankees are going to ride the hot hand.
Volpe’s Rehab Assignment Struggles
Volpe has not had the best of rehab assignments so far. He’s batting .250 with a .624 OPS in 44 at-bats. That’s just ten shy of a full spring training, which is what the Yankees were seeking from Volpe. The assignment to AAA could in a strange way help Volpe get his confidence up a bit. At times, his confidence at the big league level has lacked a bit, so giving him time to fine tune his bat, and his defense, should benefit him.
The exception still remains that Volpe will be with the Yankees at some point in 2026, but when is a question mark now more than ever. He was passed on the depth chart by Caballero, and could be passed by others like George Lombard Jr. in a matter of time.
This sort of ruthlessness in decision making is exactly how the Yankees should be and need to operate. For the first time in a very long time it feels like the Yankees are not operating based on feelings, or a contract, but rather who gives the team the best chance to win a ballgame. That ruthlessness has the Yankees 23-11 at the top of the American League entering play during the first full week in the month of May.
(Top Image Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)
