MINNEAPOLIS — Healthwise, the enjoying discipline turned even as soon as once more between the Yankees’ two shortstops on Monday.
José Caballero didn’t go wherever.
For the sixth straight recreation, Caballero began at shortstop on Monday night time towards the Twins at Goal Area, this time with Anthony Volpe again to being a full participant after receiving a cortisone shot in his left shoulder final Wednesday, because the Yankees rode the recent hand.
“[Caballero] is enjoying nice,” supervisor Aaron Boone stated earlier than Monday’s recreation. “So we’re at the moment of 12 months the place it’s all palms on deck. Everybody’s going to play an essential function. You by no means know on a given day who has an important function. However I anticipate them each to play an essential function for us down the stretch.”
Boone stated he “in all probability” may have began Volpe on Monday if that was the route he wished to go in after the 24-year-old was restricted at finest via the weekend as he recovered from the injection.
That he didn’t was telling, particularly on a day that would have supplied a gentle touchdown spot towards the Twins and given Caballero a breather after the Yankees arrived right here in the course of the night time from Boston.
The truth is that even when Caballero has usurped the beginning job, Boone would seemingly not come out and say that. As an alternative, he supplied a well-recognized line when requested if Caballero would get nearly all of begins on the place over the ultimate two weeks of the common season.
“We’ll see,” he stated. “Day after day.”
This stretch started with Caballero getting a begin over the slumping Volpe final Wednesday, with Boone describing the shortstop state of affairs as “each day.”
However then by Thursday it was revealed that Volpe had obtained the injection to assist deal with the partially torn labrum he sustained in Might, which basically glued him to the bench in the course of the Crimson Sox sequence.
“Right now, I really feel like no matter function we’d like, he must be good to go,” Boone stated. “Hopefully begin to get within the combine right here.”
It will not be shocking if Volpe will get a begin at shortstop in the course of the Twins sequence, because the Yankees continued a stretch of 13 video games in 13 days, however past that his function stays unclear.
As a result of Caballero had made probably the most of his alternative within the 5 straight video games at shortstop, batting 6-for-18 (.333) with a .980 OPS, three steals and a mammoth 423-foot homer on Sunday night time at Fenway Park.
He additionally turned in a terrific defensive play within the eighth inning of the sequence finale towards the Crimson Sox to maintain a run off the board and hold the Yankees inside putting distance, even when they didn’t finally come all the way in which again.
“Simply type of a gamer,” Boone stated of Caballero. “However what stands out to me about him is the arrogance he performs the sport with. You clearly see that confidence on the bases, generally he makes you a bit of nervous as a result of he’s so daring. But it surely’s a confidence that elevates his recreation. He’s actually comfy within the discipline wherever you place him. He’s comfy within the batter’s field. He’s a successful participant.”
Coming into Monday, Caballero had accrued 1.1 bWAR in 31 video games as a Yankee, matching Volpe’s output throughout 141 video games. By fWAR, Caballero led Volpe 0.9 to 0.6.
Simply how a lot enjoying time Volpe will get down the stretch is a fragile steadiness. The final time he obtained a cortisone shot for his shoulder got here on the All-Star break, and in 14 video games following that, he hit .280 with a 1.035 OPS.
The Yankees are hoping the second shot may result in an identical bounce again, however they don’t precisely have the time to be doing trial runs at this level within the season as they attempt to chase down the division or, extra seemingly, the highest AL wild-card spot.
