The New York Yankees have been rumored to potentially be open to moving on from shortstop Anthony Volpe.
Volpe had been considered the future of the Yankees and long-term answer at shortstop. However, he has struggled defensively, and his bat was an issue last season. With that, Volpe’s name has come up as a potential trade candidate.
Yet, Yankees insider Chris Kirschner of The Athletic expects Volpe to at least have another year to prove he’s a long-term player for New York.
“It depends on what your definition of “giving up” is,” Kirschner wrote. “Does that mean releasing, benching or demoting him? Volpe is still relatively inexpensive for a shortstop because he’s entering his first year of arbitration. … It’s fair at this point to wonder if he’ll become an average offensive player; there are not many positives to point to with his profile. But if he could get back to being a good defender, there’s a decent enough player in there to not totally give up on him.
“If Volpe is a similar player to what he was in 2025 — a poor hitter and a poor defender — the Yankees don’t have much choice but to start considering other long-term options. Suppose Volpe is ineffective upon his return from offseason shoulder surgery. We might start to see him lose playing time to José Caballero, who can fill in at the position. But we’re likely at least one more season away from the Yankees exploring external options.”
The Yankees insider expects Volpe to remain the starting shortstop in 2026 and prove he can be the long-term answer. But, next season could very well be a do-or-die season for Volpe’s future i the Bronx.
Volpe Underwent Shoulder Surgery
Volpe struggled in 2025 in large part due to an injury.
The Yankees’ starting shortstop dealt with a shoulder injury, which resulted in constant treatment. After New York was eliminated from the playoffs, he underwent shoulder surgery, but manager Aaron Boone wouldn’t say it impacted Volpe’s play.
“I think, for the overwhelming majority of the year, it was not affecting his play,” Boone said last week. “In some ways, the injury probably got a little bit worse towards the end of the year based on a couple of episodes that happened, but I don’t think it was impacting performance.”
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, meanwhile, did think the injury impacted Volpe in 2025. He is also unlikely to be ready for Opening Day.
“I personally think now, I’m starting to lean more into that, yes, it was affecting him,” Cashman said. “He didn’t have the season that we expected, that he expected, that we believe he’s capable of. … His performance swings were significant this year, more so (than his first two seasons).”
Volpe hit .212 with 19 home runs and 72 RBIs last season.
Yankees GM Still Believes in Volpe
Although Volpe struggled in 2025, Cashman has confidence in him.
The Yankees general manager was asked about Volpe’s future, and he believes the shortstop is someone the team can count on.
“This year notwithstanding, he’s got a lot of abilities that are positive,” Cashman said. “He’s had a tough stretch, but I think he’s someone we can count on and we believe in.
“But acknowledging at the same time, this isn’t the season we expected or he expected. But that doesn’t change our viewpoint of what he’s capable of. I think he’s a really talented guy and I think he has a chance to be a positive impact on us.”
Volpe committed 19 errors last season.
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