José Caballero Keeps Shortstop Spot as Anthony Volpe Returns from Injection

MINNEAPOLIS — José Caballero started at shortstop for the New York Yankees for the sixth consecutive game Monday night at Target Field, a development that underscored the club’s current approach to the position despite Anthony Volpe being available after receiving a cortisone injection last week.

Manager Aaron Boone said Volpe, who had the shot in his left shoulder last Wednesday to treat a partially torn labrum he sustained in May, was a full player but that the team is using "all hands on deck" down the stretch. Boone added he "probably" could have started Volpe Monday if he had wanted to, but that Caballero has earned playing time with recent production.

Caballero has made the most of his opportunity. In five straight starts at shortstop entering Monday, he was 6-for-18 (.333) with a .980 OPS, three steals and a 423-foot home run Sunday at Fenway Park. He also made a key defensive play in the eighth inning of the series finale against Boston that kept a run off the board, according to game accounts.

Boone praised Caballero’s demeanor and versatility, calling him "a gamer" who plays with notable confidence on the bases and in the field. "You obviously see that confidence on the bases, sometimes he makes you a little nervous because he’s so daring," Boone said. "But it’s a confidence that elevates his game. He’s really comfortable in the field wherever you put him. He’s comfortable in the batter’s box. He’s a winning player."

The shortstop situation has been described by Boone as "day to day" since Caballero was given a start over a slumping Volpe last Wednesday. Volpe’s injection kept him limited during the weekend series in Boston, and although Boone said Volpe "should be good to go" and would be able to contribute in whatever role was needed, the club faces a compressed schedule — 13 games in 13 days — that complicates any extended trial-and-error approach.

Statistically, Caballero’s recent run has yielded outsized value in limited time. Entering Monday, Caballero had recorded 1.1 bWAR in 31 games with New York, matching Volpe’s bWAR accumulated across 141 games this season. By fWAR, Caballero led Volpe 0.9 to 0.6. Those figures reflect Caballero’s early impact but do not alter the club’s stated stance of day-to-day management of playing time.

The Yankees are balancing short-term needs with longer-term considerations. Volpe, 24, had received a prior cortisone shot at the All-Star break and posted a rebound in the immediate aftermath, hitting .280 with a 1.035 OPS over the subsequent 14 games. The club will weigh the potential for a similar response to this injection against the team’s immediate push for a division title or, more likely, an American League wild-card berth.

Boone indicated Volpe could still start during the Twins series in Minnesota but declined to commit to a definitive plan beyond the immediate slate of games. "We’ll see," Boone said when asked whether Caballero would get the majority of starts over the final two weeks of the regular season.

The Yankees’ decision-making will continue to be influenced by game-to-game performance, travel and the team’s standing as the regular season nears its conclusion. For now, Caballero’s hot streak and reliable defense have kept him in the lineup while Volpe works back toward full availability after the shoulder injection.