Under normal circumstances, talking about the decision to option Anthony Volpe to Triple-A would have been an uncomfortable process for Aaron Boone and the rest of the public-facing Yankees.
After all, they defended Volpe without exception through three full seasons of ups and downs and below-league average performance, insisting he was a more valuable player than the numbers or the eye test or fans’ anxieties concluded, determined to seem certain that he was their shortstop of the future even if he was not playing well in the present.
So that they decided he would not be on their roster now, after months of rehabilitation on his injured shoulder, amounted to a concession of something -- though Boone was careful when explaining what exactly he thought they were admitting.
“It’s acknowledging where we are as a club right now. It doesn’t mean somebody’s better or worse,” Boone said. “I think Anthony is going to have a long career and be a really good player in this league. His next step as a player is gaining that consistency offensively. Even through some of his struggles, I think he’s been a way better player than some of the narratives around him sometimes are.”
Boone’s leg bounced as he continued his defense of Volpe, his body language noticeably stiffening from where it had been earlier in his press conference as he gushed about his memories of the late John Sterling.
Sterling’s passing Monday morning is the reason Boone and others were not talking about Volpe’s demotion under normal circumstances. Most of the afternoon’s questions centered on the man who called every game of so many Yankee careers -- some of which blossomed slowly, some of which fizzled, some of which soared.
Even a pivotal moment in the career of a player the Yankees long advertised as their shortstop of the future felt less…permanent… than it might otherwise, and it required a quick tone shift from those asked to discuss it.
“That was tough. Anthony’s my guy. I know he’s going to be more motivated than ever to come back here,” Aaron Judge said in an on-field scrum organized primarily so he could talk about Sterling instead. “…Anthony is a big piece of what we’re doing here, for us moving forward. We got to the World Series with him as our shortstop. He had some big moments in the World Series, in that playoff run. So I’m excited to see him come back here.”
But even juxtaposed with the afternoon’s poignant reminder of how long legacies take to write here, the Volpe decision felt like a significant pivot point. Whether it demonstrates increased urgency to win now, private concerns about Volpe’s offensive viability, or both, the decision to stick with Jose Caballero’s dynamic play seemed to suggest that the Yankees are prioritizing current, proven performance over preserving the ego of a player they believe will help them eventually.
“We have to acknowledge first, how well [Caballero] has played. He’s been just a key factor in us getting off to a really good start this year, on both sides of the ball,” Boone said. “…it’s really as simple as that. It doesn’t change how we feel about Anthony, the kind of player we think he is and will be. But in this moment in time, you felt like this was absolutely the right thing to do.”
Caballero has fully seized the starting shortstop job in Volpe’s absence, not just with a .712 OPS well-above his career norm, but also with strong defense and constant pressure on the bases. He's lengthened the Yankees' lineup with a better-than-expected offensive start while also anchoring an increasingly effective running game that has made this year’s offense look as well-rounded as any Boone has overseen.
“We’ve got a good ballclub. It’s good to be urgent. Us as players, man, we’re up there, we’re fighting for our lives every single day. We're trying to win every single ballgame,” Judge said. “So to see it from the management side, where it’s like hey, we’re not gonna mess around here with some moves, we’re gonna do whatever’s best for the team. You appreciate that as a player.”
The reality of Volpe’s demotion is that it likely will not be forever. Jasson Dominguez, for example, endured a disappointing demotion at the end of spring training only to find himself back in the Yankees lineup by May.
First, the move to stick with Caballero suggests the Yankees will play the hot hand when given the chance. Should Caballero cool, he could easily slide into his old utility role to make room for Volpe, who could force the Yankees’ hand with a strong offensive showing in the minors. Secondly, injuries are inevitable, so roster churn is, too.
“If there’s a way to find -- if it’s even him as a utility guy, anything -- just to get himself back up here. Because besides what he can do on the field, he’s a big part of this clubhouse, of this dugout,” Judge said. “He knows all of our swings. All the work we spend in the offseason working together, he knows us inside and out…the guy is a student of the game, so we’re definitely missing him right now, but he’ll be back up here soon.”
Judge, who said he talked to Volpe for a half hour after he got the news Sunday night, floated the other possibility for Volpe’s immediate future: He could, conceivably, start playing somewhere other than shortstop to increase his options for a big-league return.
Over the weekend, Boone was firm in his answers about Volpe’s position, explaining that the 25-year-old was working exclusively at shortstop. Monday, he was less committal.
“We’ll see. Right now, he’s going to play shortstops,” Boone said. “If we have those conversations as the days unfold, we’ll have them. But not right now.”
But the Yankees could find plenty of reasons to experiment with Volpe elsewhere. For example, their Triple-A team already has a prominent shortstop -- top prospect George Lombard Jr., who has played second and third base while primarily serving as a shortstop during his minor league career. Boone said Lombard will continue to move around the infield while Volpe is there. Who knows how the conversations could change in the days to come.
After all, for years, conversations centered around Volpe as a lock. At the moment, the conversations around the Yankees seem more centered around getting the most out of the World Series-capable team that charged through the first month of the season.
“We have a lot of really good players right now competing for real roles and real spots,” Boone said. “I think that competition is ultimately going to be a great thing for us.”
D.J. Short
Matthew Pouliot
Eric Samulski
