Yankees start Jose Caballero over Anthony Volpe on Wednesday night against Tigers

One day after Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Anthony Volpe was on solid ground as the club’s starting shortstop, that ground no longer seems so solid.

When he wrote out the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Tigers at the Stadium, Boone instead had Jose Caballero starting and Volpe on the bench. And when he was asked about saying he viewed Volpe as the team’s shortstop just 24 hours earlier, the response was quite different.

“We're in day-to-day mode . . . We're playing for a lot right now and I have a decision to make every day with the lineup and I'll make whatever tough decision . . . that is,” Boone said.

Caballero told Newsday he was told before he left the park after the 12-2 loss to Detroit Tuesday – where Volpe was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and popped out trying a sacrifice bunt – that he’d be the starting shortstop the next day.

Volpe has 19 home runs and 70 RBIs, but he is statistically one of the worst performers in the American League. His .206 batting average and .268 on-base percentage are both last in the AL and his .661 OPS ranks among the five worst in the league. He also has committed an AL-worst 19 errors.

He has become the most scrutinized player on the roster and a constant source of debate among Yankees fans.

Entering Wednesday, Caballero led the majors in stolen bases with 43. He has been a strong performer for the Yankees since being acquired from the Rays at the MLB trading deadline. He entered Wednesday with a .765 OPS in 43 at-bats with two home runs, six RBIs and was 9-for-10 on stolen base attempts. He’d also committed just four errors in almost 200 innings in the field at an array of positions.

Asked how much of the decision was based of Volpe’s poor play and how much on Caballero’s strong contributions, Boone replied, “Combo.”

“He’s been a really good player for us since coming over,” he said of Caballero. “He brings a lot of value in so many different ways. [We] have a lot of confidence when he's in there, when he's in the lineup. [I] love also having the bench versatility and things that he brings at different points in the game. So hopefully he can go in there and be a little spark for us tonight and continue his good play.”

“Just feel like he deserves to play some,” Boone added. “Obviously, it’s been a tough stretch for [Volpe] offensively here and it's just that time of year - ‘all hands on deck’ – and just felt like that was the best move for us today.”

With so much scrutiny of the shortstop position in the air, Caballero was asked how he feels about being ‘the other guy’ in the conversation.

“I can’t think about that,” he told Newsday. “I leave that to the media and other people to handle. I’m here to have fun and try as hard as I can to help the team win games.”

Between the Rays and Yankees, Caballero has played every position this season except first base, catcher and pitcher. “I just love to be in the lineup, it doesn’t matter what position.”

But would Caballero like to assume the role of starting shortstop for the final 18 games of the regular season?

“That’s the dream of every player, to be the starter for the Yankees,” he said. “Until the opportunity comes, I’m just trying to be patient and try to help the team. That's the main thing for me is just trying to help the team wins the most game we can.”

However, Boone has given no indication that there is a permanent change afoot. And he sounds like a guy who hopes Volpe can again be the player who had an .815 OPS with six RBIs and five stolen bases in 14 postseason games when the Yankees reached the 2024 World Series.

“I still think it's very possible – even this year and hopefully into October – to where he's playing his best baseball – we saw some of his best baseball last October,” Boone said. “He’s a really talented, impactful player when he's going well. So, hopefully, we can still get them to that point.”

By Roger Rubin

roger.rubin@newsday.com@rogrubin

Roger Rubin returned to Newsday in 2018 to write about high schools, colleges and baseball following 20 years at the Daily News. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 2011, he has covered 13 MLB postseasons and 14 NCAA Final Fours.