The New York Yankees have opened the 2026 season leading the American League East, and they have done so while dealing with multiple injuries across the roster.
Those injuries include the one shortstop Anthony Volpe is recovering from, with the infielder working his way back from a shoulder injury suffered late last season.
Meanwhile, Jose Caballero has taken over shortstop duties in Volpe’s absence but has struggled mightily to get going early in the season.
Caballero has hit 5-for-35 through the opening stretch, is off to a .143/.211/.171 start, and has failed to produce offensively while leading the team in fielding errors with two.
© Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Yankees manager Aaron Boone offered the latest update on Volpe’s status before Wednesday’s game, indicating that his return is nearing.
Boone, however, did not directly tie Volpe’s timeline to Caballero's struggles. Gary Philips of the New York Post reported Boone's update, writing, “Anthony Volpe will likely travel home from Tampa with the #Yankees, Boone said. He could start a rehab assignment later that week.”
Volpe, 24, has been a regular at shortstop since debuting with the Yankees, appearing in 472 games and posting 52 home runs, 192 RBIs, and 70 stolen bases across three seasons, while slashing .222/.283/.379.
Volpe won a Gold Glove during his rookie year in 2023, solidifying his defensive role in the lineup from the get-go.
The Yankees shortstop logged the third-most plate appearances (596) among his teammates last season, and is coming off a year where he batted .212 with 19 home runs, 72 RBI’s, 65 runs and 18 stolen bases.
The Yankees conclude their series against the Athletics on Thursday, with the first pitch of the series finale set for 1:35 p.m. ET.
