Remember how shortstop turned out to be Aaron Boone’s toughest puzzle last season? Well, Anthony Volpe held down the position for most of the year, but neither his bat nor his glove really stood out. On top of that, a shoulder injury didn’t help matters as Volpe finished the season hitting just .212 with a .391 slugging percentage. And his 19 errors in the field only added fuel to the fire.

Because of that, the Yankees’ front office took plenty of heat for sticking with him all the way through. Yes, midseason, they did bring in Jose Caballero, and his 134 wRC+ was strong enough to make a case for more playing time this year. And with Volpe dealing with injury concerns heading toward Opening Day, a lot of fans were hoping Caballero might get the nod at shortstop. But if Keith McPherson is to be believed, that switch might not be happening after all.

“He’s coming back sooner rather than later, like I’m telling you tonight. His teammates love him. Aaron Judge loves him. He’s been down there in Tampa with the team, and I know his work ethic and his being young. He’s healing up, and he’s preparing to take his spot back to be the everyday shortstop for the New York Yankees and Caballero. Honestly, I don’t look at Caballero as a guy that’s supposed to be.” McPherson went brutally honest via WFAN Sports Radio.

If you remember anything after Volpe’s rough 2025 season, he still has plenty of backing inside the Yankees’ clubhouse. Most recently, Aaron Boone made that pretty clear in February. He still believes Volpe can be a frontline shortstop in this league. So, once he’s healthy, the job is his again.

Well, indeed, Brian Cashman didn’t exactly go all-in on Volpe during the Winter Meetings. But according to Keith McPherson, that doesn’t really change the bigger picture. And even if someone else fills in at shortstop for a bit, it would only be a temporary fix. The long-term plan still points back to Volpe.

And it’s not just Boone in his corner. Volpe also has the support of Aaron Judge. We still remember how he made a point to lift him during that brutal stretch last August when Volpe hit a historic low. So, between the clubhouse support and the manager standing firmly behind him, it’s really just a matter of Volpe getting healthy before he’s back in pinstripes.

That’s why McPherson doesn’t see much hope for fans pushing for Caballero to take over. McPherson reasons that Caballero was brought in for versatility and depth, not to replace an everyday starter. So, despite leading MLB with 49 stolen bases last year, the Yankees front office might not be interested in altering his role.

Now, here comes the most encouraging part for Volpe! As per the latest reports, he’s already making progress. He’s running, taking dry swings, and fielding ground balls. So, with Opening Day getting closer, we still could expect a return sometime in April.

Volpe could still face a level-up competition this year

“But bringing guys in like Caballero, I think that’s good for competition.” Aaron Boone, while he didn’t approve of any long-term replacement for Anthony Volpe, couldn’t help but manifest better competition for the shortstop.

With Caballero likely remaining a depth piece, the Yankees might look to another internal option for competition: Ryan McMahon. He was initially signed as a third baseman. But the latest report states that the Yankees are expecting a new position for him, and that could be the shortstop.

In 2020, McMahone had played only 3 games as a shortstop in his career compared to more than 700 games at third base. So, maybe the Yankees are taking a huge bet in exposing their third base to make more competition for Volpe.

Nevertheless, the Yankees may have a few options for the shortstop. But be very sure that all will be centered around Volpe as the frontline shortstop.