Volpe thriving after cortisone shot as Yankees lean on him down stretch

Anthony Volpe’s season has begun to swing in the right direction after a cortisone injection in his left shoulder to address lingering effects of a partially torn labrum. In the nine games since his return, Volpe has hit .313 (10-for-32) with a .759 OPS and has looked more like the player the Yankees envisioned when they entrusted him with the everyday shortstop job down the stretch. He started at shortstop Friday for the seventh time in the last eight games and eighth in the last 10, a stretch that has quieted some of the questions that arose during his latest rough patch. The Yankees are hopeful the offensive and defensive strides are sustainable as they push toward the postseason, with Volpe’s renewed health providing a clearer path for lineup stability.

Volpe’s late-season rebound followed a period in which he was unavailable or limited for four games while recovering from the shot and briefly sitting in favor of José Caballero for another game on either side of that stretch. In the win over the Orioles on Sept. 26, 2025, he went 1-for-4 after the layoff, a day that included a close look at where his swing and timing stood. He was also robbed of extra bases on a fly ball to the gap and later hit a ball to the warning track in center, underscoring that the improvement was tangible both in contact and in the aggressiveness of his approach. "It feels like you can go out and play and do what you’re trying to do," Volpe said, reflecting on the process of testing his body before each game. "We’re here for hours before the game and you can pretty much test and see where you’re at every day. It just feels good to feel like you progress all the way to the game instead of doing stuff that doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s helping."

The Yankees have trimmed their rotation of questions at shortstop by leaning on Volpe’s improved defense and by keeping Caballero as a versatile bench option who can pinch-run and spell him in the center of the field when needed. On Friday night, manager Aaron Boone voiced a pragmatic optimism: "I think he’s playing well. I really think defensively, he’s settled in the last month or so or even longer now where he’s playing aggressively, he’s attacking the ball. I feel like he’s in a good place out there, looking like Anthony. Offensively, I feel like the last — maybe since he’s come back … he’s night in and night out [had] really competitive at-bats. Even [Thursday] night, doesn’t get a hit, but I felt like the at-bats [were] competitive. He’s given us a little bit of a presence down towards the bottom of the lineup.” The Yankees believe this version of their lineup hinges on Volpe at short, with Caballero providing value as a pinch runner and a defensive asset who can cover multiple spots when needed. If Volpe can sustain the recent form, the team could project a more stable configuration as it eyes October.

There is context to the shift in Volpe’s fortunes. After a difficult run earlier this season, the Yankees pointed to his stellar playoff run last year as proof that he can still deliver in high-leverage moments. They emphasized the mental and physical reset that occurred in mid-September as a key turning point, noting that being more present and engaged in the moment helped him recapture the feel for the game and his swings. Volpe himself suggested that while there are many variables in play, his goal was to stay grounded and let the results follow from more traditional, competitive at-bats. "There’s so much that’s so different [this year]," he said. "You’re so in the moment and so present. … But at the same time, feeling where you’re at, you feel like you’re trending in the right direction. It feels good at the right time."

As the Yankees near the end of the regular season, the dynamic at shortstop remains a focal point of their lineup construction. If Volpe sustains his recent level, New York will likely feel more confident about its infield defense and its ability to generate offense from the bottom half of the order. The question, as always with Volpe, is whether the performance is sustainable under the duress of a pennant race and potential postseason pressure. The coaching staff and front office have shown patience, reward, and a willingness to lean into his strengths when he is at his best. With the cortisone effect now seemingly wearing off in a productive way, Volpe’s trajectory is a major storyline for the Yankees’ push toward October, and for his own arc as a player who could be central to prominent postseason moments.

The Yankees have faced a spring-to-fall arc from Volpe that mirrors the volatility of a pennant race, but the current stretch offers a concrete signal that his shoulder issue is no longer a roadblock to his development. If the current trend holds, Volpe could be an even more reliable piece in a lineup that has faced a variety of injuries and slumps across key players. Baseball remains a game of adjustments, and if Volpe can continue to pair the physical clearance with the mental steadiness he described, New York could be looking at a sharper, more consistent version of a player who already had a defining rookie season and now has a real opportunity to answer in real time under postseason pressure.

As the final weeks of the regular season unfold, the Yankees will monitor Volpe’s daily progress and how well he handles the defensive demands of shortstop with Caballero ready to contribute in other ways. The organization’s confidence in Volpe is clear, but the true test will come when the intensity ratchets up and every at-bat matters more than ever. The medical and coaching staff will remain vigilant about protecting his health while maximizing his performance, and fans will be watching closely to see if this latest reset translates into sustained impact at the moment when the Yankees need him most.