Anthony Volpe's Yankees Career Hinges on Next 9 Days

It's easy to see why Boone has clarified that it's Caballero's job to lose. The 29-year-old infielder hasn't been perfect this season, but he has exceeded expectations, slashing .259/.320/.400 with four home runs, 13 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, eight walks and a 1.7 WAR in 41 games (135 at-bats). His absence will be felt, even if he plans to return soon.

With Boone and Caballero making their plans clear, Volpe is seemingly playing on borrowed time. What he does in the coming days—beginning with Wednesday's start vs. Baltimore—will shape his outlook with the Yankees, for better or worse, opening the door to the following scenarios.

Anthony Volpe must capitalize on his second chance with Yankees

In an ideal world, Volpe will capitalize on the second chance that the Yankees placed at his feet. After all, he was supposed to be New York's No. 1 shortstop when he returned from injury, and even though Cabellero's early-season heater was an unexpected curveball, that doesn't mean Volpe's outlook is beyond saving.

A strong performance, both offensively and defensively, could help Volpe avoid another optioning to Scranton.

Schuemann has been Cabellero's primary backup so far, sure, but he hasn't proven to be irreplaceable. As of Wednesday morning, Schuemman is batting .273 with an .839 OPS and one RBI and a pair of walks in seven outings. Although those are decent first-glance numbers, it's a small sample size (11 ABs), and that's without mentioning the fact that they got caught stealing twice.

To take over Schuemann's spot, Volpe will have to show competence as a hitter and a defender, which could be an uphill battle.

After all, Volpe is slashing a pedestrian .205/.238/.333 with one home run, five RBIs, two stolen bases and a walk in nine games (39 ABs) with the RailRiders this season. He has hits in three of his last five outings, though, so let's hope that the positive trend will follow him back to the Majors.

Reliable defense was once Volpe's calling card, as well as a key reason to keep him in the Yankees' lineup despite his offensive shortcomings. He hasn't been as defensively sound as fans would like during his minor-league stint, though, highlighted by the error he tallied on a groundball play just last week (h/t nypostsports).

If Volpe erases any doubts that the Yankees' coaching staff and fans might have, he might remain with the club when Caballero returns. Operating as a bench bat/substitute defender could be more appealing to the former 2019 first-rounder rather than riding the bus in Triple-A again, even if it means he won't be on the field as often.

Playing well on both sides of the ball would also increase Volpe's trade value. A trade could sent him to a destination with an open starting SS job, or at least a path to one. That opportunity won't materialize though if Volpe isn't hitting well or is making error at the MLB level, emphasizing why he needs to make the most out of every chance he sees—big or small.

But if Volpe fails to capitalize on his promotion...

Of course, the elephant in the room is what happens to Volpe if he doesn't capitalize on the next nine days?

If he continues to prove why the Yankees left him in the minors in the first place, it will be hard to envision a path for Volpe to return. He isn't of any use if he can't hit well or make consistent defensive stops, and it isn't as if New York doesn't have other backup options. On top of Schuemann, third baseman Ryan McMahon can also play shortstop, and there's always top prospect George Lombard Jr., who's eager for a chance to shine.

The Yankees could be more motivated to search through the trade market if Volpe's promotion is a bust. There won't be a shortage of potential opportunities the closer we get to August's trade deadline, and New York might be willing to pull off a blockbuster to land an All-Star shortstop, pushing Caballero to the bench and Volpe out of the club's future plans.

Volpe is also seemingly aware of what's at stake, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

If I’ve learned anything out of all of this, it’s that there’s things I can control and things I can’t. We’ve got a game tomorrow, and that’s what I’m focused on. Throughout this whole thing, it’s been day to day, how I can get better and how I can improve.Anthony Volpe, Yankees SS via Bryan Hoch

The next nine days will reveal a lot about Volpe's outlook, good or bad. What happens next will be up to him, as the Yankees need to know what he brings to the table before deciding if he should stay or if it's time to turn the page for good.