Anthony Volpe’s regression was one of the worst scenarios for the Yankees this season. The Gold Glove awardee, who had accumulated 14 outs above average (OAA) in his rookie campaign, saw it drop all the way down to -6. Add to that his AL-leading 19 errors, and there arose some chatter.

“Yankees SS Anthony Volpe was arrested early Thursday morning as part of an FBI sports betting probe, sources tell me. The Eastern District of New York and FBI director Kash Patel will hold a press conference at 10 am ET to announce arrests from the investigation,” Jan Heyman posted on X. 

Despite the tweet garnering 500k views on Twitter and then some on Facebook, the username that made the claim should answer all the queries: “Jan Heyman” closely resembles that of renowned MLB insider Jon Heyman and even shares the same display picture. However, the bio clearly states that it is a parody account.

Between the Yankees downplaying his shoulder injury all season long and the FBI probe into sports betting, there were reasons a few were swayed by the post.

On Thursday morning, the NBA saw the arrests of Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups following a probe into mafia-linked gambling and sports rigging schemes. So, the FBI probe is indeed in place, but currently, only over at the NBA. However, that doesn’t rule out MLB.

Since the ban on sports betting was lifted in 2018, 23 players and coaches have faced a ban or suspension across the national sports leagues. MLB saw five of those just last year. Then, earlier this season, there were reports of two Guardians players, Emmanuel Chase and Luis Ortiz, being involved in gambling. They were both placed on non-disciplinary paid leave while MLB investigates alleged gambling/prop-betting activity.

What placed Volpe particularly in the midst of the chatter was very likely his performance.

He went 5-for-26 with 16 strikeouts during the Yankees’ seven-game postseason run and saw a slash line of .212/.272/.391 through the campaign after two promising seasons. He was also booed on his way to the dugout after a throw to third base that would soon result in the Yankees’ 5-2 season-ending loss to the Blue Jays.

But earlier this month, the team announced that Volpe had undergone surgery on his shoulder to repair a partially torn left labrum. General manager Brian Cashman confirmed that the injury had affected the shortstop’s production since he incurred it on May 3rd against the Tampa Bay Rays.

So yes, there’s nothing verified or official about any gambling allegation against Volpe, nor is the FBI involved in any investigation. The news is fabricated and made as a satirical post. Plus, manager Aaron Boone expressed earlier in the month that he believes Volpe will bring a positive impact on the team. Where would that leave him for the next season?

Volpe will see some competition in the next season

Despite the dwindling performance throughout the year, Yankees manager Aaron Boone firmly rallied behind Volpe. Why? The Yankees’ lack of options at shortstop is one of the key reasons. But in the next year, their shortstop might see some competition.

One player who’s really made an impression is Jose Caballero. With Volpe struggling, Caballero stepped up and took advantage of his increased playing time. Remember his base-stealing this year? At 29, he’s earned Boone’s trust and become a key contributor down the stretch.

However, there’s the Yankees’ top prospect, George Lombard Jr., also part of the conversation. At just 20, he’s one of the Yankees’ most promising young talents, ranked 25th overall by MLB Pipeline. He showed real potential in 2023, hitting .329 in High-A before moving up to Double-A Somerset, where he hit .215 with 8 HRs and a .983 fielding percentage. But most experts think he’s about a year away from reaching the majors.

Now, given Anthony Volpe’s recovery timeline (estimated to be three months long), reports suggest the Yankees could roll with Caballero as their Opening Day shortstop next season. But when Volpe returns, the pressure will definitely be on with little to no room for error.