NY Yankees’ Jose Caballero set to come back soon with Anthony Volpe heating up

Jose Caballero’s 10-day IL stint cleared the way for Anthony Volpe to step into the starting lineup, but the New York Yankees suddenly have plenty of reason for optimism regarding their injured infielder. Caballero recently opened up about his recovery progress and targeted a specific date for his return to the active roster.

According to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, Caballero expects to be back on the field for the Yankees by Friday. “That’s my plan. That’s my goal,” Caballero said, via Phillips.

While the team has yet to officially activate him, Caballero appears locked in and ready to return. In his absence, Volpe has held down the position with the Yankees having reason to be optimistic about the young shortstop who has rapidly rediscovered his stride and is beginning to look like his elite self again.

In addition to Caballero’s impending return, the Yankees are reportedly considering accelerating Gerrit Cole’s highly anticipated season debut to help patch a heavily strained starting rotation. Between Cole’s timeline and the infield shuffle, manager Aaron Boone will have some major roster decisions to finalize in the coming days.

Will Caballero reclaim his spot from Volpe?

Since taking over everyday duties, Volpe has proved he belongs in the lineup with a string of stellar performances. However, Boone has already made the internal shortstop hierarchy clear, hinting that Caballero will reclaim his role once fully healthy.

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Regardless of how the playing time shakes out, Volpe remains a vital piece of the puzzle. He overcame costly defensive miscues last season, but he currently sports a completely revamped approach and looks primed to make a major impact in the big leagues moving forward.

A potential revenge series against the Rays

After being traded from Tampa Bay to New York, Caballero is now in line to face his former club. During his 86-game regular-season stint with the Rays, he logged 53 hits, 37 runs, and two home runs.

Whether he gets the green light for the upcoming series rests on the medical staff’s final clearance. It’s a high-stakes return, as the Yankees wrap up their set with the Toronto Blue Jays while trying to chase down the first-place Rays in a tight AL East race.