Within the wake of the Yankees’ playoff elimination, Anthony Volpe mentioned there can be “a variety of work to be finished” within the offseason forward. That now consists of restoration from left shoulder surgical procedure.
The Yankees shortstop underwent a process Tuesday to restore {a partially} torn labrum, and supervisor Aaron Boone on Thursday mentioned Volpe doubtless will not be prepared for the beginning of the season.
Boone mentioned Volpe will start hitting in about 4 months, which might be mid-February, and that he may not be capable to dive on his shoulder for six months.
The Yankees may have a greater thought of Volpe’s return timetable on the three-to-four month mark. Normal supervisor Brian Cashman mentioned he expects Volpe might be prepared someday in April, or Might on the newest.
He acquired two cortisone injections throughout the season to deal with the difficulty — one throughout the All-Star break and one in September — and missed 5 video games from Sept. 10-14 after re-aggravating the harm on Sept. 7.
Throughout that stretch, José Caballero noticed a rise in taking part in time at shortstop, earlier than Volpe returned to complete the season. At Fenway Park on Sept. 12, Cashman was requested whether or not surgical procedure would possibly finally be required.
“As of proper now, no, however I would not rule it out both,” Cashman mentioned. “They will simply repeat imaging [after the season] and see the place he is at. As of proper now, there isn’t any surgical procedure beneficial. There’s not even an IL [stint] beneficial.”
In the end, surgical procedure was wanted, and Cashman mentioned Thursday that the preliminary cleanup process revealed the injury to Volpe’s shoulder was extra extreme than preliminary MRI outcomes had indicated.
That does not change Volpe’s restoration timeline. One comparable case is that of the Rangers’ Josh Jung, who underwent labrum surgical procedure on his non-throwing shoulder in February 2022. Then a prime prospect, Jung was taking part in in Minor League rehab video games by July and made his Main League debut in early September.
Cashman mentioned that, “in equity to the participant,” he now thinks the harm would possibly clarify a few of Volpe’s struggles throughout the 2025 season.
“I personally assume now, I am beginning to lean extra into that, sure, it was affecting him,” Cashman mentioned. “He did not have the season that we anticipated, that he anticipated, that we consider he is able to. … His efficiency swings have been vital this 12 months, extra so [than his first two seasons].”
Throughout the season, the thought was that the harm wasn’t considerably hampering his recreation, primarily based on the suggestions from Volpe and group docs, and good outcomes from the exams Volpe was present process. The one exception to that was Volpe attempting to keep away from diving on it after re-aggravating it late within the season.
Even now, Boone mentioned he is not second-guessing the choice to let Volpe play out the 12 months.
“Even going into this winter, surgical procedure wasn’t a certainty. It was, ‘Can we do that surgical procedure?'” Boone mentioned. “I believe for the overwhelming majority of the 12 months, it was not affecting his play.”
Volpe accomplished his third large league season in 2025, totaling 19 dwelling runs and 18 stolen bases, however he batted simply .212 with a .663 OPS. He had a .786 OPS earlier than Might 3 and a .628 OPS over the remainder of the season. A Gold Glove Award winner in ’23, Volpe dedicated 19 errors in ’25, which tied for third most within the Majors.
“I had a extremely good relationship with the coaching employees, and so they trusted me. I trusted them,” Volpe mentioned after the ALDS. “We grinded the entire approach. I might’ve finished lots higher.”
Each Boone and Cashman mentioned that as New York enters the offseason, they nonetheless see Volpe because the Yankees’ beginning shortstop as soon as he returns.
“Yeah. He is proper within the combine to do this,” Boone mentioned.
“Anyone might be taking part in shortstop — not him — Opening Day. However that is not a superb factor for us, both,” Cashman mentioned. “Lacking him, not having him right here as an possibility for us, is an issue. I am wanting ahead to getting a set Anthony Volpe again so he could be deployed and assist us win video games.”
However each Boone and Cashman acknowledged they’re hoping to see a leap from Volpe in 2026, particularly as a hitter.
“For him to change into that frontline shortstop, that is acquired to enhance,” Boone mentioned. “He understands that, we perceive that. And hopefully, he has that chance to proceed to do this.
“We see on this recreation on a regular basis, it is simply not this linear trajectory … The fact is, he is a extremely proficient participant that works his butt off, that has large make-up, large toughness, and is a superb individual in our room, and I am gonna wager on that. That mentioned, it hasn’t occurred, offensively-speaking, to the extent it must but. However that does not imply it will not get there. Dansby Swanson has change into one of many recreation’s [star shortstops] — very comparable begin to his profession offensively. It does not all the time simply occur immediately. So we’ll proceed to work alongside him and hopefully get him to that time. We’ll see how the roster takes form, although, this winter, and see the place we go.”
“I consider within the participant nonetheless. We consider within the participant.” Cashman mentioned. “That does not imply that we do not play with, on any stage, all features of roster assessments. He is 24 years previous. I do not assume the New York stage is simply too large for him. It is simply, he is nonetheless discovering his approach.”
