After one other mediocre season from Anthony Volpe, it has turn into abundantly clear to the New York Yankees’ entrance workplace that their largest weak spot is at shortstop. They’ve a chance to repair that by making one essential transfer this offseason.
Bo Bichette is the best way to go
Though four-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker is taken into account the highest goal for groups this offseason, the Yankees ought to deal with one participant: Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette.
Bichette has a .294 profession batting common and an .806 OPS, and he led the league in hits in each 2021 and 2022. The 2-time All-Star brought on some concern amongst followers throughout his disappointing 2024 season, when he posted a -0.3 fWAR over 81 video games and confronted setbacks with calf accidents and a fractured finger. The 27-year-old shortstop proved that his injury-plagued season was momentary, bouncing again strongly in 2025 by hitting 18 dwelling runs, batting .311 and posting an .840 OPS.
Though he hasn’t showcased his velocity just lately as a consequence of damage restoration, he could be a menace on the bases, stealing 25 luggage in 2021. His bat-to-ball abilities, alongside together with his sneaky energy, would make him a sparkplug on the high of the Yankees’ batting order.
New York wants a leadoff hitter who can set the desk for Aaron Decide, and Bichette may fill that function whereas assuaging the shortstop worries followers have had for years.
Shifting on from Anthony Volpe
If Volpe’s 2025 manufacturing had been changed with Bichette’s, the Yankees could be wholly reworked. One of many hardest elements of this transformation would be the staff letting go of Volpe, particularly since Yankees basic supervisor Brian Cashman has been excessive on him from the beginning.
“I feel he is an effective participant,” Cashman informed The Athletic. “This isn’t the season that we anticipated or he anticipated, however that doesn’t change our viewpoint on what he’s able to.”
Volpe’s 2023 season noticed him produce below-par offensive numbers however confirmed promise, as he gained a Gold Glove and posted a 20-homer, 20-stolen-base season. His 2024 season supplied glimpses of the hitter and participant he was projected to turn into, with a strong first three months and a very good postseason efficiency. Sadly, 2025 introduced nearly no positives, as he skilled his worst season but, made no enhancements on the plate, and led the American League with 19 errors.
If the Yankees weren’t attempting to make the playoffs each season and as a substitute centered on getting probably the most out of this staff whereas Decide remains to be placing up MVP-caliber numbers, an argument could possibly be made that giving Volpe extra taking part in time and growth may be the best transfer. However that isn’t the case, and Volpe stays the most important outlier in New York.
Rewriting previous errors
In earlier offseasons, the Yankees handed up on high-profile shortstops like Corey Seager, Trea Turner and Carlos Correa, as a result of they had been assured in Volpe’s capability as a prospect.
Any time a staff chooses a prospect over confirmed expertise, there may be threat and reward. The Yankees had been hoping to develop an elite shortstop fairly than pay high greenback for an already confirmed one, and it hasn’t labored out.
The chance has arisen for the Bombers to proper their wrongs and signal the All-Star shortstop that they have been lacking. Till Bichette will get signed, solely time will inform in the event that they determine to run it again with Volpe or reduce their losses with the younger shortstop.
