WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Yankees spun their daily shortstop roulette wheel on Friday and for the first time since Sunday, they came up with José Caballero.
After Anthony Volpe started at shortstop in all three games of the Yankees’ series against the Royals in Kansas City — with Caballero starting one of those games at third base and the other in left field — Caballero returned to shortstop Friday to open the series against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Caballero went 2-for-4 with a run scored in the Yankees’ 8-2 win.
That meant a night on the bench for Volpe, taking groundballs at both shortstop and second base before the game — though it’s not clear in which situation the Yankees will use Volpe at second base.
“They both earned the right to play,” said manager Aaron Boone. “That’s something that can be fixed as we go along. The good thing is that I feel like both of them are playing very well. I feel like both of them will be among us hoping to win a lot of games.
“Look, according to Caballero’s condition, I feel like it can be fixed a little bit. But Cabby hasn’t been out for a few days, in short, and I feel like he’s earned the right to be there. The important thing is that I have a lot of confidence in both players right now.”
Boone said he decides who will start at shortstop on a day-to-day basis while taking each series in context.
Against the Royals, the Yankees faced two opposite righties and two lefties, so it was possible to have both Caballero and Volpe in the same lineup.
In the first two games against the A’s, they faced more traditional starters in Luis Severino and JT Ginn, so Boone wanted more left-handed bats in the lineup, meaning only one of Caballero or Volpe would play.
With only a few left in the final game of the series on Sunday, both could be on the list.
“I didn’t have that conversation with them every day,” Boone said. “I was having conversations when they were both busy [when Caballero came back from the injured list]. Be as forward as possible, and as I told them, every day will not be fair and it may not be the right decision every day, but it is the one I have to make. I will try to do the best for our team every day.”
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As Austin Wells continues to struggle offensively, JC Escarra started behind the plate Friday for the fifth time in his last 11 games, catching Carlos Rodón. he went 0-for-4.
“I’m trying to mix JC up a little bit,” Boone said. “I hope it’s a rest day and the first day [of the series] – because, and I’m telling Austin this, I expect a lot from him annoyingly. We have to try to open him up a little bit. I felt like today was a good day to have JC there. “
Jason Domínguez made a big improvement in hitting the Trajekt pitching machine on Thursday as he continues to improve his strike rate from a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.
