New York — Anthony VolpeRehabilitation from left shoulder surgery ended Sunday, but the shortstop’s next step is not to rejoin. New York Yankees.
with jose caballero Excelling as New York’s everyday shortstop, the AL East-leading Yankees announced they had optioned Volpe to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
“Caballero is playing out of position and playing really well,” manager Aaron Boone said before Sunday’s 11-3 win over Baltimore. “It makes it complicated.”
Volpe batted .250 (11 of 44) in 13 minor league rehabilitation games, mostly for Double-A Somerset. Sunday was the maximum 20th day for the rehabilitation work of minors.
If Volpe remains in the minors for the next 20 days or more, it will delay his free-agent eligibility by one year until after the 2029 season.
Volpe had surgery on his left shoulder on October 14, a week after Toronto eliminated the Yankees in the AL Division Series.
Volpe hit .212 with 19 homers and a career-high 72 RBI last year, but committed a career-high 19 errors, which tied for third-most among major league shortstops. He was given a cortisone shot on September 10 after a previous shoulder injury re-aggravated three days earlier.
Volpe also received a cortisone shot during the All-Star break. He initially suffered a shoulder injury last season in a loss to Tampa Bay on May 3.
As a rookie in 2023, Volpe won a Gold Glove and hit .209 with 21 homers, 60 RBI and 24 stolen bases after winning the shortstop job in spring training.
He batted .243 with 12 homers and 60 RBI in 2024.
In the 2024 playoffs, Volpe batted .286 and hit a grand slam in Game 4 of the World Series. los angeles dodgers.
Caballero has started at shortstop in 33 of the Yankees’ 34 games this season. On Friday, he got a go-ahead homer in the second inning for Baltimore cad povich. He is batting .259 with four homers, 12 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
“He’s been right in the middle of it defensively and offensively,” Boone said. “He’s earned some opportunities there. It’s really as simple as that.”
The 29-year-old Caballero, acquired from Tampa Bay last July 31, is hitting .316 (24 of 76) with 11 RBI in his last 21 games.
