Anthony Volpe About to Make His 2026 Debut and the Yankees Need Him to Be a Spark Right Now

The New York Yankees are about to shake up their infield in a big way. After snapping a four-game losing streak with a 6-2 win on Tuesday, the team is heading into Wednesday's rubber match against Baltimore with some fresh faces ready to contribute. Anthony Volpe is coming up from Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre and looks set to make his season debut at shortstop, with Yankees manager Aaron Boone signaling he expects the kid to get significant playing time.

Volpe gets his shot because Jose Caballero is dealing with a fractured middle finger on his right hand and landed on the 10-day injured list. Max Schuemann played short in Tuesday's win, but Volpe is the guy Boone wants in there going forward. "I would expect Anthony to play a lot," Boone said. The shortstop is coming off offseason shoulder surgery and spent time rehabbing in the minors before being sent down to continue his reps. Boone didn't sugarcoat Volpe's path to this moment. "He hasn't gotten a lot of results yet," the skipper acknowledged. "He's had a number of at-bats, a lot of reps, a lot of playing time, kind of more than a full spring training. So hopefully, he's ready to go and come up here and be a spark for us."

The Infield Shuffle and Other Lineup Concerns

Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is another guy drawing scrutiny. He wasn't in the starting lineup Tuesday but went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter, dropping his batting average to .200. That's not the production the Yankees expected from a guy with his pedigree. "Obviously, he's an outstanding player," Boone said. "But you sense guys feeling it when you're a month-plus in and you're not doing what the back of your baseball card is. Probably pressing a little too much, trying to do a little too much. He's going to get it going, I have no doubt about that."

Bradish and Fried Square Off in an Afternoon Matchup

Wednesday's first pitch got moved up over five hours due to weather concerns in the evening. Baltimore's Kyle Bradish takes the mound for the Orioles trying to snap his own three-game losing skid. The right-hander is 1-5 with a 4.83 ERA on the season. He's been rough lately, with his last win coming way back on April 8. One of his recent losses came May 2 against these exact Yankees, when New York tagged him for five runs in four innings with six hits and four walks allowed. He did bounce back Friday with 10 strikeouts against Oakland despite the loss, so he's got some fight left.

The Yankees counter with left-hander Max Fried, who's 4-2 with a 2.91 ERA. Fried threw 5 1/3 innings against Baltimore on May 3, allowing three runs in New York's eventual 11-3 victory. He got roughed up Friday at Milwaukee for five runs in six innings. The Orioles are also dealing with injuries, as outfielder Dylan Beavers was scratched pregame Tuesday because of right oblique discomfort after feeling something in his side during cage work before the game.

The Yankees have won five of their last six meetings with Baltimore and are looking to stay sharp in this series finale.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.