As the New York Yankees prepare to activate shortstop Anthony Volpe, the focus isn’t on his recovery, but on how short his leash will be if he struggles.

Volpe will be returning to the majors, either against the Texas Rangers in the final game of the series or the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. But this time, he can’t afford to be complacent.

In a recent show on the Pinstripe Post, MLB insider Joel Sherman said, “I think Anthony Volpe is somewhat in the Luis Gil boat, which is you’re going to get a shot again here, but it is not an endless shot.”

What Joel Sherman meant is the amount of leash Volpe got in the 2025 season, even though he was playing very badly and going through an injury, just like Luis Gil. Due to the Yankees’ four-man rotation, Gil started the season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He came to the majors on April 10, but after four starts, his ERA stood at 6.05 with only 9 SOs. Following that, he was demoted to Triple-A again on Sunday.

Now, talking about Anthony Volpe, he missed time after offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He played through that injury during the 2025season, posting a .212 average with 19 home runs and 19 errors with the glove.

That injury limited his consistency, shown by over 150 strikeouts for the third straight season. But his rehab seems to have gone well, with him hitting .308 with one home run in the 8 minor league games.

Those numbers suggest steady recovery.

Now, per reports, Volpe will be returning on Wednesday or Thursday after finishing his minor league rehab assignment. The Yankees timed this return for a smoother transition into the team.

New York enters this stretch with an 19-10 record and an 8-game winning streak before losing one to the Houston Astros. And that strong run raises questions about changing a lineup that has consistently produced strong results.

But Volpe’s activation has been planned despite the current momentum.

Projection models expect Volpe to record 371 at-bats with 12 homers. He is projected for 50 runs, 44 RBI, and 15 stolen bases this season. His slash line projection sits at .232 average, .304 on base percentage, and .391 slugging.

But those numbers reflect below-average production, especially considering his .695 projected OPS mark.

The projections also include 98 strikeouts compared to only 32 walks across the remaining schedule. These numbers may not be up to the mark because he isn’t expected to be any better than he was last season.

But that margin for error shrinks more when looking at how the Yankees handled Luis Gil.

Gil produced only 3 whiffs and 0 strikeouts against Houston while earning 6 runs. It was followed by his 4 whiffs and 2 strikeouts against Boston despite 6.1 scoreless innings.

Manager Aaron Boone cited weak command and reduced stuff before optioning him to Triple-A. That decision came immediately after the Houston outing, showing that the team is not going to accept mediocre performances.

The problem becomes more stacked with how Jose Caballero is performing.

Caballero is hitting .271 with a .314 on-base percentage. He also carries a .417 slugging, slightly above league average.

Caballero already produced 0.7 WAR, close to his full-season projection of 1 WAR. That production, combined with strong defense, keeps him firmly in the lineup.

With those numbers present, Volpe cannot afford extended struggles if he wants consistent playing time. And if numbers fall anywhere within the projections, his future with the Yankees will also come into question.

If Anthony Volpe falls short, the Yankees are rumored to trade him

The New York Yankees are looking like they want to win something this season, and anything short of a ring will be a failure. And that is exactly why there are rumors of an Anthony Volpe trade.

The New York Yankees have opened the 2026 season with a 19-10 record, leading the AL East. They swept the Red Sox in three games, outscoring them 18-7. That stretch also included a 6-2 win where the lineup produced 12.

The Yankees’ offense averages over 4 runs per game through the first 28 games of the season. And this is exactly why the Yankees will not tolerate Anthony Volpe if he doesn’t perform.

Now attention shifts to the return of Anthony Volpe.

A mock trade suggests sending Anthony Volpe to the San Francisco Giants for Luis Arraez. Arraez is hitting .314 with a .717 OPS with 8 RBIs. He struck out under 40 times in each of the last three seasons.

That contact rate contrasts with Volpe, who struck out over 150 times since his time in the majors. Arraez is on a one-year deal worth $12 million. So if the Yankees do want to go and get him, they could.

But the Yankees may wait before any deal, wanting to see Volpe after his current rehab assignments. If Volpe performs as he has in the minors, they might want to keep him. For now, their strong start suggests that the Bronx Bombers would rather be patient because they have some cushion to make a few changes and test the team.