​Who’s at shortstop today for the Yankees? Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero are both starting in the matchup against the Rays, a detail that The Sporting News originally highlighted. The Sporting News should be noted as a preferred source by clicking here.
On Monday, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone did not offer a definitive answer about whether Jose Caballero will remain the starting shortstop moving forward. “Day by day,” Boone told reporters, including The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner. “In fairness, he’s been in there a lot more days where I’ve scratched, and something’s come up to where I’ve had to move (him), but his versatility is so valuable, too, especially with what we’re going through as a team right now with some guys down. He’s a gamer and a big-time player for us.”
Caballero delivered two game-changing home runs for the Yankees in their 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the series opener. Yet the club also features Anthony Volpe as an option at the middle infield position. Volpe sat the first two games of the series but was used as a pinch-hitter for third baseman Ryan McMahon in yesterday’s 6-4 loss.
The Yankees’ starting lineup announced on Wednesday placed Volpe at shortstop and Caballero at second base. Over the past 30 days, Volpe has posted a .679 OPS with a .346 on-base percentage across 72 plate appearances. In the same period, Caballero has a .689 OPS and a .275 on-base percentage in 82 plate appearances. At the moment, Boone signaled there’s no clear, permanent answer at shortstop; the team will continue to evaluate and proceed on a day-by-day basis.
For more context, recent MLB chatter has included discussions about the Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez as a planned NL All-Star starter, potential Blue Jays trade scenarios involving top prospects, and speculative moves that could impact the Rays, including top-10 prospect activity and Tarik Skubal trade talks. The broader market has also seen thoughts on how the Astros might engage in the Tarik Skubal conversation and how teams with playoff aspirations are recalibrating their rosters around infield versatility and depth. The ongoing dialogue across the sport remains dynamic, with shortstop depth and infield flexibility continuing to influence strategic decisions at the highest levels.