Anthony Volpe Denies Retracted Second-Base Refusal Report, Calls It B.S. at 25

Q: After this public drama, can Anthony Volpe win back his undisputed starting role?

Not immediately. The public dispute itself is unlikely to cost Anthony Volpe inside the Yankees’ clubhouse, because both Aaron Boone and Brian Cashman publicly backed him and Michael Kay retracted the report. On that front, Volpe appears to have protected his standing and credibility. The bigger obstacle is performance and roster context. Volpe was optioned because José Caballero had outplayed him at shortstop, and Boone has been clear that Caballero’s strong defense, baserunning and overall production earned him the job. Volpe’s return to the majors came because of Caballero’s injury, not because the Yankees had already restored him as the unquestioned starter. That means Volpe can win the role back only by producing now. His 2026 line — .240/.338/.326 in 41 games — and his broader major league track record remain light for an everyday shortstop, even with his Gold Glove pedigree. If he hits better during this opportunity and shows he can either reclaim top-level defense at short or add value through flexibility at second base, the Yankees have a path to reinstalling him more firmly. But “undisputed” is the key word. Boone has already indicated Caballero is expected to return to a major role when healthy, and the Yankees are in a win-now mode with little reason to hand anyone a job on reputation alone. Volpe still has a realistic chance to re-establish himself, especially long term, but in the near term he is playing to earn back certainty, not walking back into it.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 9

Anthony Volpe publicly rejected a retracted report that he refused to play second base in Triple-A, saying the claim “literally didn’t happen” and misrepresented his character.
The 25-year-old said the Yankees had consistently told him to prepare as a shortstop during his shoulder-labrum rehab and into spring, so he was playing only shortstop when he was optioned on May 4.
Volpe said he told manager Aaron Boone he would “play catcher” or do whatever the club needed, and added he has “no problem” with a position change if it helps New York win.
Boone backed him, calling Volpe’s team-first mindset “beyond reproach,” as the shortstop tries to move past another flare-up during an uneven four-year run with the Yankees.