Here’s the real reason Yankees are demoting Anthony Volpe | Klapisch

His best bet is to accept the demotion gracefully, regain his confidence at the plate – he posted an anemic .565 OPS during the rehab assignment – and out-play hotshot prospect George Lombard Jr.

The two are now teammates at Scranton-Wilkes Barre. Having already lost his job to Caballero, Volpe needs to hold off Lombard Jr., who many believe is the Yankees’ shortstop of the future. If Volpe is to succeed, he’ll have to earn it the old-fashioned way. He must realize by now he’ll get no special treatment from the front office.

In fact, you couldn’t blame Volpe for thinking he had woken up in an alternate universe. Boone and general manager Brian Cashman, who’ve been Volpe’s protectors since 2023, are keeping him at arm’s length. You could say the Yankees have finally reached the point of making a clear-eyed decision. Some might even call them ruthless. Choose your term, but the Yankees mean business in 2026.

That’s good news for YES viewers who’ve wanted to throw their flat-screen TVs out the window while listening to Boone’s Mister Rogers impressions on the post-game show. The same goes for Cashman, who was torched on social media for daring to run back the 2025 squad.

Suddenly, Cashman looks smarter than his haters. And Boone’s press conferences are, if not edgy, at least listenable. The manager is speaking more plainly lately. It’s a welcome change. Maybe the Yankees’ family has finally had enough of those lousy Octobers.

If so, then Volpe could remain in the minors indefinitely. The Yankees have made it clear that he’s owed no favors. Think of it this way: no one in the organization is more beloved than Oswaldo Cabrera. But popular or not, he’s been stuck at Scranton-Wilkes Barre since the end of spring training.

I wouldn’t blame Volpe for feeling overwhelmed. On the one hand, he’s smart enough to know baseball is a business and the Yankees are simply making a good business decision by picking Caballero. But Volpe also played with a partially torn labrum for most of 2025, when he could’ve easily opted for surgery.

Maybe Volpe thought his loyalty would be rewarded every time he agreed to another cortisone shot. Instead, all that did was ensure Volpe’s worst year in the big leagues. His hitting (.207) and defense (tied for the most errors in the American League) both suffered.

The real wound was inflicted by the fans, who booed Volpe all summer. The public seemed to take particular offense at Boone’s hollow praise. The breaking point came when the manager called Volpe an “elite” defender, even though the most casual fans knew that was fiction.

MORE BY

BOB KLAPISCH

Maybe it’s better this way for all parties. The Yankees have effectively rewritten the corporate mantra: nothing personal, strictly business from here on out — not just for Volpe, but for the roster at large. And perhaps the 25-year-old will take a cue from Jasson Dominguez, who has been demoted twice and yet has refused to pout.

The Martian has instead resurrected his career through hard work and a good attitude. He batted .326 in 24 games at Triple-A, returned to the Bronx after Giancarlo Stanton went on the injured list and blasted a home run and two doubles on Sunday against Baltimore.

That should give Volpe hope. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him. But don’t hold your breath.

Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.