The New York Yankees are bringing back a familiar face as Anthony Volpe gets the call back to the majors, according to reports. The 25-year-old shortstop is expected to be recalled from Triple-A after José Caballero suffered a finger injury diving back to first base on a pickoff play Sunday. Caballero is likely headed to the injured list, though the Yankees have not yet made an official roster announcement.

This marks a dramatic turn of events for Volpe, who was the Yankees' starting shortstop from 2023 through 2025. Despite playing strong defense, he struggled at the plate with an 83 OPS+ over more than 1,800 plate appearances. After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery in October, Volpe found himself in an unexpected position: Caballero had played so well during his absence that he essentially "Wally Pipp'ed" him, taking over the starting job permanently. The Yankees sent Volpe to Triple-A last week once his rehab was complete.

"We're paid to make very difficult decisions," Yankees GM Brian Cashman said after Volpe's demotion. "This year's New York Yankees team is a lot deeper. We have a lot more choices and Caballero has emerged with his play. We kind of had to honor that. That snuck up on us a little bit, but that's good."

Now, with Caballero sidelined, the door swings open again for Volpe. Caballero's finger injury has been bothering him most when he throws, according to manager Aaron Boone, who said the 29-year-old was scheduled to see a hand specialist Tuesday. "There's definitely some concern," Boone told MLB.com. "For those of you who have been around Cabby, he's as tough as they come. He just had a little hard time when he went to throw today. The good thing is, hitting was good, so we'll see."

Caballero had been a revelation for the Yankees this season, hitting .259/.320/.400 with four home runs and 13 stolen bases in 41 games. He leads all shortstops with plus-9 defensive runs saved, a stat that underscores why the Yankees acquired him in a minor trade with the Tampa Bay Rays at last year's deadline. He served as a utility player down the stretch last season before seizing the starting shortstop role this year.

Volpe, meanwhile, has gone 15-for-68 (.221) in 18 minor-league games this season, most of which were rehab appearances. He tore his labrum diving for a ball early last May and played through the pain for the rest of the season, a testament to his toughness. With the Yankees mired in a four-game losing streak despite owning the American League's best run differential (plus-72), a fresh spark at shortstop could be just what the doctor ordered.