The New York Yankees were dead set on having Anthony Volpe be their shortstop in the postseason. Jose Caballero got some run at the position while Volpe recovered following a cortisone shot in September, but once he was healthy enough to take the field, the starting job was his again. The result was boo birds raining down on Volpe at Yankee Stadium as he whiffed on pitch after pitch in the American League Division Series.
Brian Cashman opened up about his shortstop, who struck out 11 times in 15 plate appearances in the ALDS. When asked about Volpe, he used the term “competition,” which is a different tune than the one the front office sang about him at the end of last season.
Volpe vs. Caballero
“You can never predict somebody’s journey, somebody’s impact,” Cashman said at the Winter Meetings, according to Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post. “[Volpe and Caballero are] both quality players in their own right, but … I still believe everything that we felt about [Volpe] prior to his surgery, and I’m happy we have Cabby as well. So I have no idea where things will go.”
Cashman went on to say that playing time was “earned.”
“Hey, the game separates it all, the men from the boys. It dictates who should and who shouldn’t be playing over the course of time from the roster that the manager has. People continue to earn their playing time, or they don’t. If it’s competition off of guys on the club, may the best man win and keep it.”
Options for 2026
It remains to be seen what Volpe’s role will be in 2026. He’ll start the year on the shelf, and unless moves are made, Caballero will man the position until Volpe is healthy enough to play. If shortstop will be more merit-based, though, would he have to relinquish his spot if he’s playing well? That was the case in 2025, but Cashman’s new mantra is about letting the “best man win.”
Of course, the off-season is long, and the job may not even be Caballero’s in spring training. Everybody remembers Cashman mentioning that Bubba Crosby was his centerfielder, just for the team to acquire rival Johnny Damon a few weeks later. There’s an opportunity for a new Crosby moment if owner Hal Steinbrenner decides to open up his pockets.
Bo Bichette is still available in free agency, and the team has been linked to Corey Seager, according to reports coming out of Dallas. These options may be too rich for the younger Steinbrenner’s blood, though, but Ha-seong Kim could be an option as well. Kim would prove to be an inexpensive option with little commitment, unlike Bichette or a potential Seager trade. It would allow the organization to recalibrate and further assess the position as the season goes on.
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