Boone Said Volpe Was Sitting. Then the Yankees Lineup Came Out.

Anthony Volpe is in the Yankees lineup Tuesday night, hitting ninth and playing shortstop against the Tigers. That might not sound like news — except manager Aaron Boone said earlier in the day that it wouldn’t happen.

Boone appeared on Talkin’ Yanks Tuesday morning and told the hosts Volpe would be getting the night off. A few hours later, the lineup card showed Volpe starting at shortstop. The show posted a clip of Boone’s quote alongside the news that Volpe was, in fact, in the lineup. It wasn’t a great look for consistency.

Maybe Boone misspoke. Maybe he changed his mind after thinking about it more. The Yankees haven’t clarified, and honestly, it might not matter much beyond the awkward timing. But it’s another weird note in a season that’s been anything but smooth for Volpe.

Volpe’s 2026 season has been a mess

He started the year on the injured list after shoulder surgery. When he was finally healthy enough to play, the Yankees sent him to Triple-A instead of putting him right back in the majors. That tells you something about where things stand.

Jose Caballero has been the everyday shortstop in Volpe’s absence, and he’s played well enough that the job doesn’t feel like it’s waiting for Volpe anymore. The Yankees are 29 games into the season and Volpe is hitting .269 with one homer, 13 RBIs and six steals. Decent numbers for a guy who missed time. But not the kind of production that forces a team to hand you the keys back.

His broader track record in New York is complicated. He won a Gold Glove as a rookie. That was real. But he’s also hit .225 for his career with 53 home runs and 205 RBIs over parts of four seasons. The stolen bases are nice — 76 in that span — but he’s struck out 150-plus times in each of his first three full seasons. The plate discipline has never quite caught up to the talent.

The shortstop situation isn’t settled

At some point, the Yankees have to decide whether Volpe is their long-term answer or if Caballero is more than just a placeholder. That decision doesn’t have to happen tonight. But nights like this — where the manager says one thing and the lineup says another — don’t exactly inspire confidence that the organization has a clear plan.

The Yankees are on a three-game losing streak and just need a win. Volpe will get a chance to help them get one. And maybe he’ll remind Boone why he was supposed to be in there all along.