BOSTON – Anthony Volpe is not expected to start any of the Yankees’ three games at Fenway Park this weekend, manager Aaron Boone said on Friday, as the shortstop continues to recover from a cortisone injection administered to his ailing left shoulder earlier this week.
“We’ll probably do a little bit more each day and have him in some way for an emergency at some point,” Boone said. “We’ll wait and see how the day unfolds.”
Volpe received the injection on Wednesday, four days after he reaggravated what the Yankees revealed to be a partial labrum tear lunging for a ball against the Blue Jays.
José Caballero was in the lineup again at shortstop on Friday night. Though Boone has indicated he continues to consider Volpe the starting shortstop, he has pointed to the late stage of the season in painting it as a day-to-day decision.
“We’ll see,” Boone said. “[Caballero] is playing really well and does a lot of really good things, but there’s a lot of value on the days he’s on the bench, too. We’re at that time of the year where I’m going to do what I think is best for us each and every day.”
Asked if Volpe could need surgery after the season, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman replied: “As of right now, no, but I wouldn’t rule it out, either. They’ll just repeat imaging and see where he’s at. As of right now, there’s no surgery recommended. There’s not even an IL recommended.”
Cashman acknowledged he considers the shoulder issue to be a factor in Volpe’s performance.
“Clearly, it’s something he’s been bothered by,” Cashman said.
Volpe underwent an MRI after attempting a diving defensive play on May 3 vs. the Rays, but the club said at the time the imaging showed “good news,” as it was believed to be a pre-existing injury Volpe could play through.
“I was told it was good news, that it wasn’t going to interrupt any play; like, he didn’t need any downtime,” Boone said. “Most pitchers have a tear in there of some sort, so it was good news, what we got. He didn’t need to be shut down, and it was something he was going to be able to handle fine.”
This is Volpe’s third season as the Yankees’ starting shortstop. An American League Gold Glove Award winner in 2023, Volpe has shown flashes of pop but lacked consistency over his first 460 big league games, compiling a .221/.282/.379 career slash line.
So far in 2025, Volpe owns a .206/.268/.393 slash line, with 29 doubles, four triples, 19 homers, 70 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 141 games. He also leads the AL with 19 errors. On that topic, Cashman said: “He’s not defending as he’s certainly capable of this year.”
Cashman was asked Friday if he still considers Volpe the club’s shortstop of the future.
“Yeah. I think he’s a good player,” Cashman said. “This year notwithstanding, I think he’s got a lot of abilities that are positive.
“I think he’s had a tough stretch, but he’s someone we can count on and believe in – acknowledging, at the same time, this isn’t the season that we expected or he expected. But that doesn’t change our viewpoint of what he’s capable of. As you know, I think he’s a really talented guy, and I think he has a chance to be a positive impact on us.”
