Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Anthony Volpe Injury Update: Why is Yankees Shortstop Not in the Lineup?

Another injury the Yankees just can't afford.

Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Anthony Volpe was absent from the Yankees’ lineup on Sunday, a day after taking an awkward fall that left the shortstop dealing with soreness in his left shoulder. The injury occurred in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Rays, when Volpe dove for a ground ball and immediately felt a “pop” in his shoulder.

While the 23-year-old stayed in the game and tried to play through it, ultimately committing a critical error that allowed the go-ahead run to score, the discomfort didn’t subside overnight. By Sunday, it was clear the Yankees would have to give him a breather.

#PIM New York Yankees Anthony Volpe scary shoulder dive fall May 3, 2025 pic.twitter.com/H2IfZgcyjv
— judgtanier (@vo11pe) May 3, 2025

“He’s kind of day-to-day right now,” said manager Aaron Boone before Sunday’s series finale against Tampa Bay. “Definitely a little cranky in the shoulder today.”

The good news? X-rays and an MRI came back clean. Boone said there’s no structural damage, and that strength testing yielded encouraging results. “’It’s a little unclear in there. He´s got some stuff that they feel like is older stuff, so hard to know exactly,” he added.

Volpe has been a model of durability since debuting in 2023, making this absence rather notable. His defensive presence up the middle has made him a foundational piece for a Yankees team currently trying to keep pace in a competitive AL East. Still, Boone and the training staff won’t take any chances, especially with a tricky area like the shoulder, and especially after Volpe admitted feeling a pop during the dive.

How Long Will Anthony Volpe Be Out For?

In the short term, Oswald Peraza will handle shortstop duties, with Pablo Reyes sliding in at second base along with Jorbit Vivas. The timing is far from ideal for New York, who are already down another important infielder: Jazz Chisholm Jr., who is expected to miss at least a month with his own injury.

ALSO READ: How Will Yankees Replace Jazz Chisholm Jr. at Second Base?

With both defensive anchors temporarily out, the Yankees’ infield depth will be tested in the weeks to come. While Volpe’s outlook appears relatively positive, even a few missed games could have a ripple effect for a team that hasn’t built much margin for error. For now, all eyes will be on Volpe’s recovery, and whether “day-to-day” truly stays just that.

Anthony Volpe

Yankees

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.