Yankees Predicted to Cut Ties With Anthony Volpe After Harsh Decision

The New York Yankees have just five series left in the regular season after winning two out of three games against the Boston Red Sox. And with the playoffs rapidly approaching, they’ve made a harsh decision on shortstop Anthony Volpe.

After a season of regression on defense and at the plate, Volpe’s starting shortstop role has been given to new trade addition Jose Caballero. Manager Aaron Boone revealed that Volpe has been dealing with a shoulder injury but he also acknowledged that at this point in the season, he will be starting whichever player he feels gives the team the best chance to win.

“(Caballero) is playing really well and does a lot of really good things,” Boone said, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “We’re at that time of year where I’m going to do what I think is best for us each and every day.”

With Volpe’s role moving to Caballero, it’s possible that the Yankees will look to move away from the former starting shortstop entirely. Major League Baseball analyst Jim Riley predicted that will be the case, naming Volpe one of the players who won’t be back with their current teams next year.

“It just seems he’s regressing with the bat, so a change of scenery might be what’s needed here,” Riley said in a BALLCAP Sports video on YouTube. “Despite all of that, I still think there are teams that would be very interested in Anthony Volpe. We just have to work out a trade in a way that addresses the Yankees’ needs this offseason.”

Riley named the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians as potential trade landing spots for Volpe. But it’s also hard to imagine the Yankees trading him away at such a low point.

Volpe has three years of arbitration eligibility ahead, so the Yankees could choose to hold onto him and reestablish some kind of value in a new role next year. If they’re able to do so, they could still trade him away, but command a higher price in return than they would by cutting ties with him in the midst of a brutal step back in his production.

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