Jose Caballero's Success Could Tie Aaron Boone's Hands When Anthony Volpe Returns

New York might have a hard time slotting Volpe back in as Caballero's bat remains hot.

José Caballero's red-hot performance is giving Yankees manager Aaron Boone plenty to think about. | John Jones-Imagn Images

The first full month of the New York Yankees' 2026 season has been ripe with standout performances, both positive and negative. When it comes to the good, few players are exceeding expectations as much as José Caballero, who's thrived as the starting shortstop with Anthony Volpe still working towards his eventual return.

Caballero deserves all the attention he's getting from his stellar performance. As of Thursday's day off, the former 2017 seventh-rounder leads the American League with 12 steals, all while slashing .267/.313/.400 with three home runs, 11 RBIs, four walks, and a 98 OPS+ in 30 games (112 plate appearances). He has at least one hit in 11 of his last 14 contests, including five multi-hit efforts.

Although Caballero is playing great, what happens next is unclear. Volpe will eventually be healthy, given that his rehab is ramping up, which means the Yankees must eventually decide where everyone will play. That could be easier said than done.

Yankees can't automatically give starting SS job to Anthony Volpe

The Yankees have been loyal to Volpe throughout his stay, maybe even more than they should have been. Boone continued to start the former Gold Glove winner last season despite how frustrating his bat became, leading fans to assume that Volpe would return to the starting shortstop role whenever he returned from injury.

Instead of things being straightforward, Caballero threw a wrench into the Yankees' plans with his electric start. The situation has reached a point where Boone has been non-committal to the idea of Volpe starting right off the bat, saying "We'll see" when asked earlier this week whether the returning infielder will be back in a full-time role, per NJ.com's Bob Klapisch.

Anthony Volpe's rehab assignment is ongoing. How will his situation look when he returns to the Yankees' lineup? | Alexander Lewis / MyCentralJersey / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It would be different if Volpe were lighting it up during his rehab stint, but that hasn't been the case. While his .303 batting average in 34 PAs across Double-A and Triple-A is solid, Volpe has a .324 on-base percentage and .394 slugging rate, indicating that his bat is still a concern. He also has one home run with three RBIs, while only drawing a single walk.

Volpe's defense was one reason to justify putting him back in the lineup, but it might not be enough to help him at this point.

After all, Caballero's defensive performance has been better than expected, too. Not only does he pace the Majors with 89 assists at SS, but he owns a respectable .976 fielding percentage. He's also prevented two outs above average, according to Baseball Savant, which is tied for sixth-best among shortstops, while his 81% OAA success rate ties for the fourth-best.

Unless Volpe's bat catches fire right away, there's no reason to change how the Yankees use Caballero. That said, if New York wants to find a way to play the red-hot veteran alongside Volpe, there is an option to consider.

Yankees could test Caballero at 3B if they want to start Volpe, too

The Yankees might value Volpe's defense enough to overlook his underwhelming bat. If they're dead-set on playing him, they could try starting him at short while moving Caballero to third base.

Versatility is one of the main reasons the Yankees traded for Caballero, who's played defensive innings at every position except catcher and first base in his four-year MLB career. The Panamanian owns a .982 fielding percentage in 377 innings at third base, including 41 innings spent at the hot corner after New York acquired him from Tampa Bay last July.

José Caballero's third-base experience gives Yankees manager Aaron Boone something else to think about. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

There also isn't much standing in Caballero's way regarding the Yankees' starting 3B job. Ryan McMahon's anemic performance (.167/.268/.250 with two HRs, seven RBIs, and 27 strikeouts in 29 PAs) leaves the door wide open for a shift at third, especially when his defense (.935 Fld%, three errors) has been worse than what he's known for.

Moving McMahon to the bench, at least until he finds his groove, would help the Yankees get both Caballero and Volpe in the lineup. New York could also use the former at short when Volpe needs the rest, allowing McMahon to get back in the lineup when necessary while keeping Caballero's bat active.

McMahon even made a start at shortstop earlier this season, further illustrating how a potential rotation between the three veteran infielders could work.

Boone must find a way to walk the metaphorical tightrope without losing balance. Caballero's bat and underrated defense are too valuable to remove, but Volpe can't be kept out of the lineup forever, at least not until he gives a reason for removal. If benching McMahon is the only way to accomplish that task, it's an experiment worth trying.

At the end of the day, it's nice to know the Yankees have internal solutions to their problems. However, nothing is ever guaranteed in sports, and it'll be interesting to see how the situation shakes out, for better or worse.