Why Yankees' Shortstop Battle Isn't as Open as It Looks

The New York Yankees have more than a few lingering questions at shortstop. One thing is for sure though: Anthony Volpe, who was the target of much of New York fans' ire last season, won't be in the lineup on Opening Day.

Volpe required surgery to repair a partially torn labrum in his left arm after the conclusion of last season. The injury was initially suffered months earlier, and the infielder had two cortisone shots in his arm throughout the season to help with recovery.

José Caballero has been tapped to get the starting job over Volpe to begin the season,.The Yankees acquired Caballero from the Tampa Bay Rays last season, and he slashed .266/ .372/ .456 for an OPS of .828 in 40 games in Pinstripes.

In an ideal world for Yanekes fans, Caballero would be the permanent shortstop over Volpe. Despite hitting 19 home runs, Volpe slashed just .212/ .272/ .391 for an OPS of .663 and committed 19 errors. However, that possibility is more remote than it seems.

Could Yankees Bench Anthony Volpe for Jose Caballero?

The position battle only goes as far as Spring Training and the beginning of the season, while Volpe recovers from surgery. When Volpe is healthy, there's no doubt he will be Boone's go-to at shortstop. The Yankees manager has been a staunch defender of the fourth-year pro, and the Yankees will almost certainly give him opportunities to ramp up.

The only way Caballero makes it back to the starting lineup once Volpe recovers is if he has an undeniable start to the season. He cannot simply be good, or even great, he has to be excellent. Even then, Volpe will likely be given the chance to have a few less than stellar outings before he's benched in favor of Caballero.

Feb 20, 2026; Sarasota, Florida, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) takes infield before the start of the spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Caballero has shown flashes of the sort of excellence he'd need to exhibit to permanently earn the starting spot. Last season he stole a whopping 49 bases, 15 of which were with the Yankees. During a recent Spring Training game, he smacked a home run off New York Mets pitcher Justin Hagenman.

When asked about the brewing position battle, Caballero gave an unsurprising and diplomatic answer.

“That’s out of my control,” he said, per the New York Post, after the Yankees' 6-4 Spring Training loss to the Mets. “I control what I can control. I’m going to go out there and do my best every day. They make the decision.”

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