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Yankees’ Nightmare: Rising Star Anthony Volpe Gets Cortisone Shot, Raising Major Alarm Bells For The Season

Posted on September 12, 2025 - 2:45 am by

The New York Yankees’ 2025 season has been a rollercoaster, and shortstop Anthony Volpe’s persistent shoulder injury is casting a dark shadow over their playoff hopes. According to New York Post’s Joel Sherman, Volpe received a cortisone injection before Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, marking yet another attempt to manage a nagging issue that’s plagued him for months. This wasn’t the first time Volpe has needed such treatment this season, and the recurring problem is sounding alarm bells for fans and the front office alike.

The trouble began on May 3 during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, when Volpe dove for a ball in the eighth inning and felt a disturbing pop in his left shoulder. “It’s a little unclear in there,” manager Aaron Boone said at the time, noting that while X-rays and MRIs didn’t reveal anything catastrophic, Volpe’s shoulder was “definitely a little cranky.” Boone added that the medical team identified some “older stuff” in the shoulder, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the discomfort. Despite the optimistic initial prognosis, Sherman reports that Volpe has experienced intermittent pain in the area ever since.

Before the injury, Volpe was holding his own at the plate, posting a respectable .233/.326/.442 slash line with five home runs in 138 plate appearances. However, since returning to the lineup on May 5, his performance has taken a nosedive. Over 418 plate appearances, Volpe’s slash line has plummeted to .197/.248/.378, with 14 homers but a dismal .269 weighted on-base average—tied for the second-worst in MLB among 150 qualified hitters, alongside Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz. His offensive struggles are reflected in his FanGraphs’ wins above replacement, which sits at a concerning minus-0.1 since May 5, placing him among just 10 players with a negative WAR in that span.

Volpe’s woes aren’t limited to his bat. A standout defender in 2024, when he ranked in the 97th percentile among shortstops with 13 outs above average, Volpe’s glove has betrayed him this season. His defensive metrics have cratered, landing him in the second percentile for outs above average at his position. The left shoulder injury, though not on his throwing arm, likely disrupts the kinetic chain—the interconnected body mechanics critical for fluid fielding. This disruption could explain why a player once hailed for his defensive prowess is now struggling to make routine plays.

Despite these challenges, Boone has given Volpe little time to rest and recover. The young shortstop was benched for just one game on May 4 following the injury and later sat out two consecutive starts on August 24 and 25. Even then, he was called upon as a defensive replacement for José Caballero in the August 24 game against the Boston Red Sox. The lack of extended rest raises questions about whether the Yankees are pushing their 24-year-old star too hard, risking further damage to his shoulder and his confidence.

Enter José Caballero, the 29-year-old infielder acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 31. In 27 games with the Yankees, Caballero has shone, posting a .239/.345/.413 slash line and providing a spark both offensively and defensively. His emergence as a reliable option puts the Yankees in a tough spot as the postseason looms. With Volpe’s offensive and defensive metrics trending downward, the team faces a critical decision: stick with their struggling young star or turn to Caballero’s steady hand for the playoff push.

The Yankees’ postseason aspirations hinge on a roster firing on all cylinders, but Volpe’s lingering shoulder issues and subpar performance are a growing liability. As the team fights for a playoff spot, all eyes will be on whether Volpe can regain his form—or if the Yankees will need to make a bold move to salvage their season. For now, the cortisone shot is a temporary fix, but the bigger question remains: can Anthony Volpe overcome this setback and reclaim his place as the Yankees’ shortstop of the future?