Anthony Volpe will seemingly be beginning at shortstop Tuesday, when he performs his first non-rehab-assignment minor league recreation in additional than three years.
However as he begins a stint with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, with an unsure finish date after being optioned there Sunday night time on the finish of his rehab task, it bears watching if and when the Yankees could have him begin to work at different positions to provide him a greater likelihood to finally return to The Bronx.
“We’ll see,” supervisor Aaron Boone stated Monday earlier than the sequence finale in opposition to the Orioles. “Proper now, he’s going to play shortstop. If we’ve got these conversations as the times unfold, we’ll have these. However not proper now.”
That left the door barely extra open than Boone had Sunday earlier than the Yankees introduced the choice to ship Volpe to Triple-A, with José Caballero having achieved sufficient over the primary 34 video games to take over the beginning shortstop job in the meanwhile.
And whereas a downturn from Caballero might create a gap for Volpe to return again up, after he began 455 video games at shortstop out of the Yankees’ 486 video games from 2023-25, the complicating issue is that prime prospect George Lombard Jr. is now at Triple-A after a promotion from Double-A.
Lombard, additionally a pure shortstop, has been sprinkling in some third base and (final yr) second base, however it’s arduous to imagine he’ll cease taking part in shortstop altogether. And when he does, the place will that depart Volpe?
“George, like he’s achieved lots, will bounce round,” Boone stated. “We’ll preserve revisiting this as we transfer by it. However George has already had lots of expertise taking part in third, second, quick, all very properly. It received’t be something too totally different for George.”
Aaron Decide, who spoke to Volpe by telephone for 30-40 minutes Sunday night time, stated the shortstop being optioned was “robust” and a “shock,” but in addition acknowledged that Caballero taking part in properly made it “type of robust to maneuver issues round.” The captain hinted that Volpe changing into extra versatile might work in his favor.
“I do know he’s going to be extra motivated than ever to return again right here,” Decide stated. “Anthony’s an enormous piece of what we’re doing right here transferring ahead.
“I’m excited to see him come again right here, if there’s a option to discover — if it’s even him as a utility man, something, simply to get himself again up right here.”
Boone, who additionally spoke with Volpe on Sunday night time, stated the 25-year-old took the information “like a professional.”
“I’m certain he’s not thrilled about it and doesn’t essentially love that concept, as a result of he’s clearly labored actually arduous to undergo this [rehab from shoulder surgery],” Boone stated. “Going into this, we anticipated him to be, as soon as his rehab was up, to be right here and taking part in. In order that’s clearly modified over the previous few weeks. However I believe there’s a part of him that will get it too. Anthony’s a professional and I’ve little question he’ll deal with it in one of the simplest ways attainable.”
Boone, who has been one in all Volpe’s largest supporters all through his huge league profession, insisted that the choice to choice him doesn’t change how the group feels about him now or sooner or later.
“However on this second of time, we felt like this was completely the precise factor to do,” Boone stated. “Hopefully this provides him even some extra time to build up these on a regular basis reps and issues like that and we’ll preserve evaluating.”
