Despite letting Anthony Volpe play through his struggles throughout the 2025 MLB season, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has finally begun exploring other options at shortstop.
The timing is peculiar with so few games remaining, but the Yankees are hoping to settle the position battle before the playoffs.
For defensive purposes, Jose Caballero should start at shortstop for New York down the stretch and in October. Thus far in 2025, Volpe ranks third in errors with 18. His minus-9 Outs Above Average place him in the second percentile. At the plate, he hasn’t offered much value either, ranking in the third percentile in Batting Run Value and batting .206.
Although Caballero has spent most of the season as a utility man off the bench, he grades out far better than Volpe in several areas. Caballero has recorded five OAA at shortstop this season and ranks in the 76th percentile compared with Volpe’s ninth.
Caballero is also far more dangerous on the basepaths, leading the majors with 45 stolen bases compared with Volpe’s 16.
While Caballero doesn’t bring as much power as Volpe, the Yankees are better off prioritizing defense, especially with the other power bats in their lineup.
Regardless of who starts at short, Boone typically slots the position near the bottom of the order, leaving the top half to Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm.
As the Yankees continue to test Caballero at shortstop to close the year, signs point to him getting the nod once the postseason begins.