NEW YORK -- Shortstop Anthony Volpe was not in the New York Yankees’ starting lineup Monday against the Washington Nationals for the second straight game as he toils through a frigid offensive stretch – but manager Aaron Boone said he still views him as the team’s primary shortstop. "Regularly," Boone said when asked how often he expects to deploy Volpe for the remainder of the season. "I plan on having him back in there [Tuesday] and probably in there in some way, shape or form tonight and at some point. But just wanted to give him a couple [days] here." Monday was just the sixth time the Yankees took the field this season without Volpe as their starting shortstop, but it was the third time in just over a week. Jose Caballero , acquired at the trade deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays , has filled in for Volpe each time. Boone said he expects to have Caballero, a utility player, to play multiple positions down the stretch.

Volpe’s continued struggles have been a focal point for the Yankees, who hoped for a significant offensive leap from the 24-year-old homegrown first-round pick born in New York City and raised nearby in New Jersey as a Yankees fan. August has been particularly rough for the young shortstop. As of today, Volpe is 1-for-28 with a walk, a double and 11 strikeouts over his last 29 plate appearances. Since a four-hit showing on Aug. 1, he’s batting .121 with one home run, four walks, 19 strikeouts and a .414 OPS in 71 plate appearances. Overall, Volpe hasn’t taken the step forward the Yankees expected entering the season, batting .208 with 18 home runs and a .675 OPS in 509 plate appearances. His 86 wRC+ ranks 144th among qualified major-league hitters this season. His 85 wRC+ since making his debut to start the 2023 season is tied for last in the majors among 89 players with at least 1,500 plate appearances over the season.

Boone emphasized that "Production comes in a lot of different ways." He acknowledged that fans and the organization had hoped Volpe would demonstrate a higher batting average and more consistent offensive contributions, recognizing that productive offensive players can manifest in various forms. Boone highlighted Volpe’s considerable ability and flashes of that potential, stressing the importance of consistency as the next step for the shortstop. He noted that limiting the peaks and valleys in Volpe’s performance is crucial.

Adding to the concern is Volpe’s defensive regression in 2025. A Gold Glove Award winner as a rookie and a finalist last season, Volpe’s -7 Outs Above Average this season ranks 21st among 24 qualified shortstops. Last season, he finished tied for fifth in the majors with 14 OAA. The ongoing struggles have produced regular boos from home crowds, but Boone maintains the treatment has not affected Volpe. "I think he handles it quite well," Boone said. "I don’t think he’s overly affected by those things. This is just a young player that, as you guys know, works his tail off and is super competitive and is trying to find that next level of consistency in his game offensively. "I think he’s mentally very tough and totally wired to handle all of the things that go with being a big leaguer in this city and being a young big leaguer that’s got a lot of expectations on him."