Anthony Volpe Says He Would Have Played Catcher. So Much for That Position Change Rumor.

Anthony Volpe is not the kind of guy who says no to his manager. The Yankees shortstop made that much clear this week after a rumor started circling that he refused to switch positions. The whole thing, Volpe says, came out of nowhere.

It started Tuesday night when Volpe was initially left out of the lineup against Tampa Bay. That alone was enough to get people talking. Then came a report — unattributed, floating around social media — that Volpe had balked at moving to second base. The implication was that he was being difficult, that his relationship with Aaron Boone had frayed.

Volpe shot that down pretty fast.

“When I was getting optioned, I told Boonie I’d play catcher,” Volpe told Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. “I’d do literally whatever the team needed, and that’s the truth.”

According to Kirschner, Volpe was genuinely caught off guard by the whole thing. He hadn’t refused anything. He hadn’t drawn any lines. The shortstop position in New York has been a little messy lately — Jose Caballero’s name got mixed in, and Boone had to clarify where everyone stood — but Volpe insists he’s fine with whatever role he gets.

So the tension, if there ever really was any, seems to be gone.

Trade Deadline Rumors Keep Circling Back to One Name

While Volpe was clearing up that confusion, the Yankees front office was dealing with a different kind of noise. New York keeps getting linked to Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal, and those rumors aren’t going away. Skubal is having a monster season in a losing situation, and the Tigers are reportedly open to listening on just about everyone. The Yankees, sitting at 50-41 and four games back in the division, could use another arm. Skubal would be a lot more than just another arm — he’d be a statement.

Whether they actually pull the trigger before the deadline is another story. But the speculation is loud enough that it’s worth watching.

For now, Volpe is just trying to play baseball. He’s not fighting his manager. He’s not holding out for a particular spot. He’s just out there, ready to catch if called upon. That counts for something.