Does Anthony Volpe have a future with Yankees? How’s he handling option? Here’s latest

Judge feels for Volpe because they’re close. He’s been like the big brother Volpe never had growing up in Jersey. They went to U.S. Open tennis matches and Knicks games together. They had a lot of dinners together.

At the same time, Judge understands the facts behind this decision, which isn’t what GM Brian Cashman said would happen a few weeks ago. Like everyone with even a little baseball IQ who’s watched the Yankees win 24 of their first 35 games, it’s pretty easy to dish out a lot of credit to Caballero, who has played some of the best shortstop in the majors while leading the league in steals and hitting .261 with four homers.

After Judge gave an emotional tribute to Yankees broadcasting legend John Sterling, who passed away on Monday, he spoke candidly about Volpe’s demotion.

“That was tough,” Judge said. “Anthony’s my guy. I know he’s gonna be more motivated than ever to come back here. The team’s been doing well. Caballero at shortstop’s been doing just an amazing job, defensively and offensively. So, you know, it’s kind of tough position to be put in (for the Yankees). How are you going to change things up?

“But Anthony’s a big piece of what we’re doing here, and that’s moving forward. We got to a World Series with him as our shortstop. He’s had some big moments for us in the (2024) World Series and that playoff run, so I’m excited to see him come back here. If it’s even him as a utility guy, anything, just to get himself back up here because besides what he can do on the field, he’s a big part in this clubhouse, in this dugout.”

That “even as a utility guy” line might be Volpe’s best hope to have a future with the Yankees. Even if second baseman Jazz Chisholm is gone after this season when he becomes a free agent — and that seems a lot more probable than a return because of the money he’ll be chasing — George Lombard Jr., the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect, is a shortstop who just was promoted to Triple-A last week.

Lombard will start out playing third base and second base this week with Volpe at short, but Boone said Monday, “We’ll keep revisiting this as we move through it.”

The implication is clear: Volpe likely will be playing second and third base, too, if he sticks with Scranton. And that’s the right call because you will not find a scout for any team who doesn’t think Lombard is the Yankees’ shortstop of the future.

If Volpe gets back to the big leagues and hits for a higher average with a lot fewer strikeouts than he has in his first three seasons, maybe he’s the Yankees’ starter at second base next season. But Caballero could be Volpe’s head-to-head competition, and who’s to say the current pecking order will be any different come 2027?

During Boone’s pre-game media availability, he was asked a pointed question:

Over the past three years, you’ve been a staunch advocate for Anthony. Has your or the organization’s opinion of his viability as a starting shortstop changed at all because you are effectively saying that Jose is better right now for the team?

Boone soaked that in for a couple seconds, then responded:

“I don’t love how you characterized that. It’s acknowledging where we are as a club right now. It doesn’t mean somebody’s better or worse. I think Anthony is going to have a long career, be really good player in this league. His next step as a player is gaining that consistency offensively.

“Even through some of his struggles, I think he’s been a way better player than some of the narratives around him sometimes are. But my expectation is that he still is and will be a really good player that we hope and expect to continue to hopefully improve.”

The Yankees have been hoping they’d get more consistent hitting from Volpe ever since he’s been a big leaguer, and it hasn’t happened yet. It wasn’t there during his rehab assignment in the minors, either: In 13 games, nine in Double-A, he hit just .250 with a .624 OPS in 49 plate appearances.

Maybe there will be hitting changes for the better while Volpe’s in Triple-A, but that might not get him back to the Yankees if Caballero continues to play well and avoid the injured list.

“There’s things out of (Volpe’s) control,” Boone acknowledged. “There’s no guarantees of anything. The bottom line is things have to happen, not necessarily all on his end, to open up a spot. That’s major-league sports, and when you have a lot of good players and competition, that’s the reality.”

Here’s another reality:

Volpe could be available in a trade for the first time this summer or next winter.

The Yankees’ infatuation with Volpe when he was their No. 1 prospect prevented them from acquiring Luis Castillo from the Reds in July 2022. Castillo ended up going to the Mariners and the Yankees wound up trading a bunch of ranked prospects who didn’t pan out for a starting pitcher who was either hurt or mostly very ineffective as a short-time Yankee, Frankie Montas.

Perhaps fittingly, Volpe’s first game as a Yankees farmhand since the end of 2022, when he started in High-A and ended in Triple-A, will be on “Tail-Waggin’ Tuesday” at Polar Park in Worcester.

Yes, Volpe probably will show up feeling like he has a tail dragging between his legs. How could he not?

“I think he understands,” Boone said. “I’m sure he’s not thrilled about it and doesn’t necessarily love that idea because I think he’s obviously worked really hard to go through this.

“Going into this (rehab), we expected him once his rehab was up to be here and playing, and so that’s obviously changed over the last few weeks. But I think there’s part of him that gets it, too. Anthony’s a pro, and I have no doubt that he’ll handle it in the best way possible.”

Probably.

No one’s ever doubted Volpe’s makeup or work habits. He’s not an excuse maker, either, even though playing most of last season with a partially torn labrum surely contributed to his poor hitting and fielding stats, maybe a whole lot.

But none of that matters now because …

“Caballero’s rolling,” Judge said. “I think the biggest thing is how the team is flowing right now, it’s kind of tough to move some things around.”

Repeatedly, however, Judge predicted Volpe would be called up and making his mark on this Yankees’ season.

“Anthony is a big part of it, so I know he’s eventually gonna be back up here helping us win a lot of ballgames down the stretch,” he said. “I know he’s gonna use this to motivate him.”

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