Yankees Fans Have No Choice But to Welcome Anthony Volpe Back with Open Arms

New York Yankees fans may not like it, but they should want Anthony Volpe back as soon as possible.

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. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Shortstop Anthony Volpe wasn't exactly New York Yankees fans' favorite player last season. The 24-year-old hit 19 home runs, but committed just as many errors and slashed a mere .212/.272/.391, leading fans and analysts alike to call for his demotion to the minors.

Then, at the end of the season, the team revealed the much-maligned player required surgery to repair a torn labrum and wouldn't be available to start the 2026 season. Now, he's almost ready for a rehab assignment and fans should be willing to welcome him back with open arms: they've got no other choice.

There's no telling if Volpe would have been a better player in 2025 if he wasn't dealing with the shoulder injury. But, given that the tear was worse than anyone expected, it's not unreasonable to think he'll be better once he's fully rehabbed.

Fans may not want to give Volpe another chance, but his 2026 ceiling has got to be higher than we've seen so far. Manager Aaron Boone, who consistently came to Volpe's defense last season, certainly seems to think so, and he's the one making lineup decisions.

Jose Caballero is not the shortstop solution for Yankees

Then, there's Jose Caballero. The Yankees tapped Caballero to be their starting shortstop until Volpe returns during Spring Training, but the experiment is starting to look like a failure, especially during a difficult April for New York.

Apr 13, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero (72) reacts after hitting a two run home run during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

While Caballero has showed flashes, including a two-run homer that helped the Yankees secure a gritty 11-10 win over the Los Angeles Angels, he's only slashing .170/.214/.283 for an OPS of .497 so far. For a team that's struggled to win and suffered a five-game losing streak already, that's simply not enough.

Even if Volpe has the same numbers as last year when he's back to full health, it will be an improvement on what Caballero has done thus far. The shortstop is more than eager to be back on the field with the Pinstripes and wants to prove himself worthy of the starting job so many think he shouldn't have.

“Probably the most excited I’ve ever been,” Volpe told New York Post Sports' Greg Joyce. “Just having that perspective [of missing time], it doesn’t matter, I’ll play anywhere, I’ll do anything.”

For fans, it's easy to see a player struggle and make mistakes consistently and want him gone. But, for the Yankees faithful, they're better off giving Volpe the opportunity to redeem himself, as he just might do so.