José Caballero has held off Anthony Volpe for Yankees shortstop job one pestering second at a time By Mark W. Sanchez Published May 6, 2026, 7:40 a.m. ET The Yankees' José Caballero pauses at home plate during an at-bat against the Royals on April 17, 2026. Getty Images Anthony Volpe lost his job — at least for the moment — because he did not hit enough in three major league seasons to convince Yankees brass that he is about to turn a corner.
Volpe lost his job because in a couple weeks of minor league games — in which he had hit .250 with a .624 OPS entering Tuesday — he did not demonstrate that his surgically repaired shoulder would immediately enable him to take the next step.
Volpe lost his job because the Yankees, in a 16-season World Series drought and with a roster that certainly has looked like the class of at least the American League at 25-11, are acting with more urgency this year.
Volpe lost his job because the job was won by José Caballero, who did not focus on the big-picture competition that he found himself in but instead homed in on winning every tiny moment along the way, most entertainingly in the batter’s box.
