​Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees. GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 04: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees runs to third base during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on July 04, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) The New York Yankees, after being shut out 3-0 on Wednesday, will be aiming to split the series with their division rival, the Tampa Bay Rays, in Thursday’s matinee finale. For New York, Paul Blackburn (2-1, 2.22 ERA, 32 SO) will make a rare start, while the Rays will counter with one of their aces, Drew Rasmussen. The Yankees sit at 50-42, five games behind the Rays for first place in the AL East, and their offense has been sputtering lately as strikeouts continue to mount.
Before the series finale, the Yankees revealed their lineup a few hours before first pitch. GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 01: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees jogs to the dugout during the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on July 01, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) With right-handed starter Drew Rasmussen set to pitch for the Rays, Anthony Volpe will be out of the Yankees’ lineup on Thursday, and Jose Caballero will get the start at shortstop.
As manager Aaron Boone has stated on multiple occasions, the Yankees’ shortstop position remains a day-to-day decision, but many fans feel Caballero should be the starting shortstop at this point. Courtesy of @UnderdogMLB, here is the Yankees’ lineup for 7/9: Yankees 7/9: “T. Grisham CF B. Rice DH J. Domínguez RF C. Bellinger 1B J. Caballero SS J. Chisholm Jr. 2B M. Schuemann LF R. McMahon 3B A. Wells C P. Blackburn SP.” It’s a noticeably different lineup from Wednesday’s, which featured a heavy right-handed mix. Now, the order leans left, including Ryan McMahon, Jasson Domínguez (a switch-hitter), and Trent Grisham/Jazz Chisholm Jr., who are back after a day off.
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GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 04: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees runs to third base during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on July 04, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) Now that Anthony Volpe is fully back in the fold for the Yankees, he’s piling up a steady number of at-bats, giving Yankees fans, analysts, and insiders ample material to evaluate his performance this season. Across 132 at-bats, Volpe has 32 hits for a .242 average, with one home run, one triple, and six doubles. His resume for the year reflects a mix of promise and growing pains, and the résumé continues to evolve as he logs more plate appearances and faces a variety of pitching styles. The volatility of his early career has given way to a more consistent presence in the lineup, even as the team as a whole has struggled to generate sustained offense. As the season progresses, observers will be watching how Volpe translates his speed, contact ability, and defensive versatility into upper-level results, and whether he can become a true catalyst in a Yankees lineup that has had its share of ups and downs.