BOSTON -- New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe is unlikely to start any of the team's three games against the Boston Red Sox this weekend as he recovers from receiving a cortisone shot in his injured left shoulder, manager Aaron Boone said before Friday's series opener at Fenway Park.
The Yankees revealed this week that an MRI on Volpe's shoulder in early May revealed a small tear in his labrum and he was given a cortisone shot during the All-Star break for what Boone described as "maintenance." Volpe, however, avoided the injured list and didn't miss any extended period as he struggled offensively and defensively in his third major league season.
Volpe, who did not play Tuesday or Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers, was on the field running sprints with a trainer before Friday's game. Boone said Volpe could be available off the bench this weekend. Jose Caballero got the start at shortstop Friday and is expected to start there for the entire series in a clash between two clubs separated by a half-game in the standings while battling for postseason positioning.
Although the Yankees have decided Volpe doesn't need to miss extended time, general manager Brian Cashman said Volpe could require surgery after the season.
"As of right now, no, but I wouldn't rule it out either," Cashman said. "They'll just repeat imaging and see where he's at. As of right now, there's no surgery recommended. There's not even an IL recommended."
Volpe, 24, initially suffered the injury when he felt a pop in his shoulder attempting to backhand a ball in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on May 3. On Friday, Cashman said Volpe did not voice any issues with his shoulder until after Sunday's win over the Toronto Blue Jays when he aggravated the injury making a diving stop.
"It's a gray area," Cashman said. "In between those times, he's had no complaints whatsoever. But at the same time, you look at the numbers. So I'd say it's not black and white. It's gray. I don't know if anybody has a real answer to it. He acknowledged that there's been struggles, he acknowledged that he dealt with something then got past it and there wasn't any complaints in between.
"But, again, he plays hard. He's a hard-nosed player. He's constantly diving all over the place and then more recently raised his hand and said this is bothering me again. So we had it looked at and now attended to. So how much in between that's affected, if at all, I don't know."
The Yankees had envisioned Volpe making a leap offensively this season after he batted .286 with an 0.815 OPS in 14 postseason games during the team's run to the World Series last October.
There were encouraging signs early; through May 3, the day he injured his shoulder, he was batting .233 with an 0.768 OPS in 33 games. He was given the next game off before returning to the Yankees' lineup May 5. Since that date, Volpe's performance tumbled: a .197 batting average with an 0.626 OPS in 108 games. He also regressed from one of the best defensive shortstops his first two seasons to one of the worst in 2025. Volpe's 19 errors are the third most in the majors, and publicly available metrics illustrate significant decline.
The unseemly combination produced consistent boos from Yankee Stadium crowds throughout the summer.
"Well, I think our internal stuff, he gets to a lot more balls [that] I think the external metrics don't give him credit for," Cashman said. "But, yes, he's not defending as well as he's certainly capable of this year. And who knows how much that shoulder has been a part in that process, too?
"I'm sure it's bothered him on the offensive and defensive side, I guess. But I think he's still really capable of being a quality, above-average regular shortstop in the game. But it's a hard game at the same time."
The Yankees have stuck by Volpe all season despite the extensive struggles. But his job as the Yankees' every-day starting shortstop is seemingly not guaranteed whenever he returns.
"We'll see," Boone said when asked about his plans for shortstop moving forward.
Boone again acknowledged that Caballero's defensive versatility and speed make him an asset off the bench, but he has also been better than Volpe when given the chance to start at shortstop. Entering Friday, Caballero, who was acquired from the Rays at the trade deadline, was batting .265 with an 0.801 OPS with the Yankees. He has already posted 0.9 bWAR in 28 games with the Yankees; Volpe has 1.3 bWAR in 141 games this season.
Both players are arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, with at least three years of club control remaining. Asked if he sees Volpe as his shortstop beyond this season, Cashman did not waver.
"Yeah," Cashman said. "I think he's a good player. Obviously, this year notwithstanding, I think he's got a lot of abilities that are positive, and this year ... I think he's had a tough stretch.
"But I think, yeah, he's someone that 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, obviously."