José Caballero's Struggles Will Force Yankees' Hand With Anthony Volpe

Jose Caballero isn't having the start to the season he hoped for, considering it was his chance to differentiate himself from Anthony Volpe. Volpe has been given countless chances by Aaron Boone, and it looks like he's about to get another one. After another poor season at the plate (and even poorer showing with his glove), Jose Caballero needed a strong start to the season to even begin a conversation around who would be playing at shortstop for the year.

Whether the Yankees would have kept Caballero as a starter with a scorching beginning to his 2026 or not, he hasn't helped his cause so far. Caballero has hit .143/.211/.171 on the season and finally ended his hitless streak with a double against the Athletics.

The one person who understands those struggles best is Caballero himself.

"You have those bad stretches, and it's just bad for me that this stretch came at the beginning, right when I got the chance to be playing every day," Caballero said, according to NJ.com's Randy Miller.

Volpe's Looming Return Has Clock Ticking for Caballero

The timeline for Volpe's return could begin as early as mid-April with Minor League work. That means Caballero's time to impress the Yankees' brass is coming to an end quickly.

Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) during the third inning of game four of the ALDS round of the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Given his poor play so far and the fact that the sure-handed shortstop has even looked a little off with his glove, he will end up surrendering his job to Volpe at some point soon. It's something that won't make the Bronx faithful who booed Volpe out of the building in the American League Division Series happy.

Still, it should be something that everybody needs to prepare themselves for at this point. The fact is, the Yankees have given Volpe every chance to succeed, and Caballero's struggles will make the decision even easier for them.

Last season, Volpe hit .212/.272/.391 with an 83 wRC+. It's hard to blame the shoulder injury when that stat line was right around his career averages.

At some point soon, even if Caballero loses the shortstop job to Volpe, the question will likely go from who should start between the two to just how long of a leash Volpe will get from the Yankees. That's especially the case if he continues to flounder at the plate and doesn't show improvement on defense.

Apr 3, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) fields the ball during the fourth inning against the Miami Marlins at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Whatever happens, though, Caballero is confident in his abilities.

"It's not how you start, it's how you finish," Caballero continued. "I'm going to contribute to wins. The guys have been doing their job helping us [win games] and I'm looking forward to having those moments from now on. It's a long season. It's a marathon, and I can take off."

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