In a move that has sparked plenty of conversation among Yankees fans, General Manager Brian Cashman opened up about the tough decision to option shortstop Anthony Volpe to Triple-A—a call he describes as part of the job's challenging reality.
"We're paid to make very difficult decisions," Cashman told the NY Post at a charity event Wednesday. "This year's Yankees team is a lot deeper. We have a lot more choices."
The decision comes as the Yankees ride a wave of depth and strong performances early this season. With Volpe recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, infielder Jose Caballero grabbed the starting shortstop job out of spring training and has not looked back. Through 35 games, Caballero is slashing .260/.311/.407 with four home runs, 13 RBI, and 13 stolen bases, while playing stellar defense.
"Caballero has emerged with his play, and so we kind of had to honor that," Cashman added. "He snuck up on us a little bit, but that's good."
When Volpe's 20-day rehab assignment ended, the Yankees chose to stick with the hot hand rather than relegate their young shortstop to bench duty. The infield picture is already crowded, with Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario, and Paul Goldschmidt all excelling in their roles.
"You let the games play out and you honor the performance when warranted," Cashman explained. "It wasn't anything that Anthony was doing wrong. It was what Cabby was doing."
Despite the demotion, the Yankees remain high on Volpe's future. At just 25 years old, he's still viewed as a key piece going forward. The organization is focused on finding a path that benefits both player and team, and for now, that means getting Volpe regular at-bats in Triple-A.
In six games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Volpe is hitting .240 with a home run and recently put together a two-hit performance. Cashman noted that while Volpe is primarily playing shortstop in the minors, the situation remains "fluid" as the team navigates a long season.
"Stay tuned. It's a long year," Cashman said. "We're excited that we have Anthony, we're excited that we have Cabby, we're excited about all the talented players we have. Hopefully, they collectively find a way to get what our fans deserve."