The New York Yankees may be preparing to ship a regular starter of theirs back to the minor leagues.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports revealed Saturday that there is a chance the Yankees will not activate shortstop Anthony Volpe when his rehab assignment expires on Sunday. The team will have to choose between bringing him back to the MLB roster or optioning him to the minors.
“The Yankees have the best record, by far, in the American League. Jose Caballero, their shortstop, is playing well on both sides of the ball. His defensive metrics are excellent. Offensively, the last 15 games or so, he has been outstanding,” Rosenthal said. “If you’re the Yankees, why disrupt a good thing? Keep Anthony Volpe in the minors, say ‘Hey, we want you to get a full spring training coming off that shoulder surgery.’ And if Caballero cools down, maybe, at some point later, you have a decision.”
“Volpe’s rehabilitation assignment expires tomorrow, so at that point the Yankees either bring him to the majors or they keep him in the minors.”@Ken_Rosenthal has more on why the Yankees could keep Anthony Volpe in the minor leagues pic.twitter.com/7zkzhO6QDC
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 2, 2026
Volpe was regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball when he debuted with the Yankees in 2023. As a rookie, he won a Gold Glove and hit 21 home runs. He has stagnated since then, however, and his defense regressed significantly in 2025. He also hit just .212 with 19 home runs before undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.
In contrast, Caballero has started the season hitting .266 with 12 steals in 31 games. He has been part of the Yankee team that has been rolling, and as Rosenthal noted, the team is probably best served just leaving things as they are.
There is no reason to think the Yankees are finished with Volpe entirely. He might have some work to do to regain his starting job, though.
