The Yankees are standing at a familiar crossroads - one that’s become all too common in the Bronx over the last decade. The latest flashpoint?
Anthony Volpe. Once hailed as the next cornerstone shortstop, Volpe's trajectory has hit a snag, and fans are understandably asking: what’s the plan now?
Let’s start with the facts. Volpe is recovering from offseason surgery to repair a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder.
That’s not nothing - even if it was his non-throwing shoulder - and it gives the Yankees a built-in reason to stay patient. But it’s also clear that patience is starting to wear thin, both inside and outside the organization.
The numbers don’t lie. Volpe’s slash line in 2025 - .212/.272/.391 - didn’t exactly scream "future All-Star."
And while his defense and base running were enough to earn him a respectable 3.5 WAR, the eye test told a different story. He struggled at the plate, and his glove - especially his throwing - was shaky, ranking among the league’s worst in errors.
That’s a tough combo for a shortstop in New York.
Still, according to Yankees insider Chris Kirschner, the organization isn’t ready to pull the plug. Not yet.
In a recent mailbag, Kirschner made it clear: the Yankees are sticking with Volpe for at least another season. If his performance doesn’t improve - if he’s still struggling to hit and making mistakes in the field - then yes, the team might start looking at other long-term options.
But don’t expect a splashy in-season move or a blockbuster trade. Not now.
So cross Ha-Seong Kim off your wishlist. Forget about Corey Seager.
The Yankees aren’t going there. Not this winter.
Maybe not even next.
Instead, we’re likely to see more of José Caballero in the short term. The 27-year-old made a strong impression after arriving in a deadline deal, posting an .828 OPS and showing the kind of steady glove that fans were craving during Volpe’s rough stretches. If Volpe isn’t ready to go by Opening Day - or if he falters early - Caballero could step in and take on a bigger role.
But make no mistake: this is still Volpe’s job to lose. The Yankees have invested heavily - not just in him, but in the idea of him.
He was supposed to be the homegrown answer at shortstop, the player they passed on Seager and others to build around. Admitting that it’s not working out wouldn’t just be about Volpe - it would be about acknowledging a larger failure in the organization’s development pipeline and decision-making.
That’s not something the Yankees do lightly.
This is a franchise that once let a generational talent like Seager walk in free agency because they believed Volpe would be ready. Instead, they plugged the gap with a stopgap - Isiah Kiner-Falefa - and waited. Now, years later, they’re still waiting.
The upside? Volpe is still young.
There’s time for a turnaround. Shoulder injuries can sap power and affect swing mechanics, and if that was part of the problem, we’ll know soon enough.
But if the same issues persist in 2026 - if the bat doesn’t come around and the defense remains a liability - then the Yankees will have to make a hard decision.
For now, though, they’re staying the course. They’re betting on their guy. And in true Yankees fashion, they’re doing it with the kind of stubborn pride that’s defined this era of the franchise - for better or worse.
So buckle in. Volpe’s story in pinstripes isn’t over yet. But the clock is ticking.