The star shortstop’s rehab assignment is over, and the Yankees have officially optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“Caballero is playing the heck out of the position and playing really well,” manager Aaron Boone said before Sunday’s 11-3 win over Baltimore. “That complicates it.”

Across 13 minor league rehab games this season, Volpe went 11-for-44 at the plate, hitting .250 with one home run, six RBIs, and one error. While he has certainly shown improvement, it still may not be enough to push Jose Caballero out of the lineup.

Jose Caballero did exactly what was asked of him in Anthony Volpe’s absence. Across 116 at-bats, Caballero is hitting .259 with four home runs, 12 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases in 33 games.

With that said, what’s next for Volpe? Well, if the Yankees decide to keep Anthony Volpe in the minors for at least 20 more days, then they would effectively delay his free agency timeline by a full season.

The Yankees will now have club control over Volpe through 2029. If he wants to force his way back to the majors, he’ll have to go to Scranton and completely dominate Triple-A pitching, though even that comes with its own challenge.

Anthony Volpe’s Minor League Test Begins

For Anthony Volpe to make a comeback, he has to put together statement performances in the minors, think .300+ average, power at the plate, and minimal errors.

The good news is that his shoulder appears to be genuinely fine for the first time since early 2025, and he is hitting big.

Last season, he hit .212 with 19 homers and a career-high 72 RBIs. However, he made a career-high 19 errors, tied for the third most among major league shortstops.

His performance was good, but not enough to bring him back to the game. However, there’s a threat looming for him as well in the form of George Lombard Jr.

The Yankees have also promoted him to Triple-A, and if he outperforms Volpe, the organization will most likely allow him to prove himself at the major league level.

With that said, the next few weeks will be crucial for Anthony Volpe as he looks to reclaim his spot by midsummer, earn a trade to a team that believes in him, or watch his window in New York quietly close.

Do you think Volpe still has a future in pinstripes? Comment down below!

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On Sunday, Jones singlehandedly helped the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders beat the Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A team of the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-1. He went 2-for-4, drove in five runs, and hit two home runs. Most notably, both of these homers came against two-time All-Star José Berríos, who is on a rehab assignment.

The first one came in the first inning. It went 422 feet to right field and came off the bat at 117.4 mph, which made it the hardest-hit ball in the Yankees’ system since Giancarlo Stanton in August 2025.

Then, in the fourth, Jones crushed a grand slam to straightaway center field. That one traveled 406 feet and left the bat at 111.1 mph.

After Sunday, Jones had 10 home runs and 37 RBIs in 31 Triple-A games. He was also hitting .261 with a .366 on-base percentage, a .586 slugging percentage, and a .952 OPS. He had struck out 43 times in those 31 games, so the swing-and-miss issue is still there, but the power keeps showing up anyway.

Jones has been doing this for a while now. In 2025, he hit 35 home runs and stole 29 bases across Double-A and Triple-A, finishing with a .933 OPS. It made him one of the most polarizing power-speed players in the Yankees’ system.

The Yankees Still Have the Same Problem

The Yankees remain hesitant to promote Jones primarily due to his strikeout concerns. But another reason is they already have Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, and Cody Bellinger in the outfield mix, and that group was already close to being set for 2026.

This logjam is so severe that even former top prospect Jasson Domínguez was only recalled on April 27 due to Giancarlo Stanton’s calf injury. And that doesn’t even have any effect on the rest of the Yankees’ outfield.

The only positive is that Aaron Judge did not become a full-time big leaguer until his age-25 season. So even if Jones is promoted in the middle of the season, he would have enough opportunity and time to prove his worth.

In the meantime, with athleticism and speed to offer real center-field value, with 25/25 upside, every time Spencer Jones sends the ball outside the ballpark keeps raising questions like, are the Yankees keeping him down for too long?

What are your thoughts on this?

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Talking to SNY, Dominguez talked about his improvements.

“I’ve been putting the work in, and obviously I’m getting much better results, and definitely that feels good.”

Domínguez grounded out in his first two trips to the plate. But in the sixth inning, batting right-handed against lefty Grant Wolfram, he lined a double down the left-field line and later scored on a Ryan McMahon grounder to break a 3-3 tie. Then, in the eighth, he finally hit a two-run homer to right field off Andrew Kittredge, his first of the season.

Later that same inning, he stepped in from the right side again and hit another RBI double off lefty Dietrich Enns. He finished 3-for-5 with three extra-base hits, three RBIs, and two runs scored.

He also revealed the adjustment later, saying, 

“I made a couple of adjustments in my stance and how I move, and not doing the big leg kick anymore. I think that helped me.”

It helped, indeed. Dominguez hit just .204 with six XBHs in right-handed bat last season. But this season in the minor leagues, he has shown some progress. And in the Yankees’ latest game against the Orioles, he took that progress to the big leagues.

The Rest Of the Yankees Did Their Part Too

Domínguez’s improvement was great, but the whole Yankees offense was equally deep. Ben Rice opened the game with his 12th home run. Aaron Judge added another, his 13th of the season, tying White Sox’s Muneteka Murakami for the league lead.

Max Fried gave the Yankees 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs, which was enough to keep the game under control until the bats pulled away. Then the Yankees broke it open with a seven-run eighth inning, with help from Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham, and Jazz Chisholm Jr.

The Yankees also got a scare when Rice left with a bruised left hand, but X-rays were negative. And at the end, the most recent win gave them their third straight in the four-game set and pushed them to 13 wins in their last 15 games.

What do you think of Dominguez’s performance?

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While having a conversation with Kevin Burkhardt on Fox Sports MLB, Ken Rosenthal broke down the two paths the Yankees could take with the 2023 Gold Glove winner and why.

“Volpe’s rehabilitation assignment expires tomorrow, so at that point, the Yankees either bring him to the majors or they keep him in the minors,” said Ken.

He highlighted how the Yankees’ back-to-back victories have made it difficult for Aaron Boone to replace Jose Caballero, as he “is playing well on both sides of the ball. His defensive metrics are excellent. Offensively, the last 15 games or so, he has been outstanding.”

“So if you’re the Yankees, why disrupt a good thing? To keep Anthony Volpe in the minors, say, ‘Hey, we want you to get a full spring training coming off that shoulder surgery.’ And if Caballero cools down, then maybe at some point later, you have a decision,” Ken concluded.

Jose has been in red-hot form this season, hitting left, right, and center. However, with Anthony Volpe set to return, things have become complicated, so much so that the fanbase is divided between the two.

Fans are split between Jose Caballero and Anthony Volpe

When Kevin and Ken’s conversation was shared on X, one fan chimed in, writing, “Bring him back up. Cabby is turning into a pumpkin. 0 for today and forgot to cover 2B, which eventually let 2 runs score. If that were Volpe, the internet would be burning up with haters.”

While fan sentiment is heated, recent performance metrics provide a different perspective. Over his last 15 games for the Yankees, Caballero has been one of the hottest hitters in the AL, batting .368 with 19 hits and three home runs. He also owns a .404 OBP, .566 SLG, and a stellar .967 OPS.

Another fan believes that Anthony Volpe should be kept in the minor league, “Don’t need him in the Majors, Striking Out, Overswinging, Trying To Hit Home Runs. His No Contact Game Is Played Out.

Trade Anthony Volpe For A Live Human Body. Promote Lombard Jr. Next Month. Keep Caballero as the Starter till Lombard Is Promoted.”

Anthony Volpe is yet to fully rediscover his form ahead of a comeback.

One fan opined, “Trade, minors, anything but the Yankees roster for Volpe. He would provide no help for the team. Volpe doesn’t belong in the big leagues. He isn’t good enough.”

Another fan has a proposition for Boone, “Can he play third?”

Over 10 rehab games, he has recorded 33 at-bats while hitting .303 with one home run and three RBIs. He has also appeared defensively in all 10 games, committing just one error.

Caballero’s current form has led many fans to oppose Volpe’s immediate promotion. Manager Aaron Boone’s final decision will determine the Yankees’ infield rotation.

Should the Yankees bring Anthony Volpe back now or let Caballero keep running with the job? Comment down below!

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And the missed replay challenge in the first inning, which could have subtracted an Angels run from the scoreboard, was the most glaring failure.

Nolan McLean struck out Zach Neto and Mike Trout to open the game, but then the Angels put together three straight hits. On that same play, right fielder Austin Slater fired the ball to third, where Jorge Soler was tagged out to end the inning.

But the problem was the timing of the play. Replays showed the tag happened before Nolan Schanuel touched home, which meant the run should not have counted. The Mets never challenged, so the Angels stayed in front, 1-0.

Manager Carlos Mendoza later admitted the dugout contacted the replay room, but coordinator Harrison Friedland missed the window.

“We called obviously, and he missed it,” Mendoza said. “Harrison is one of the best at his job and it ends up being a big play when you lose by one run, but I also think we had [other] chances there.”

Yes, they got plenty of chances later, but the failure to erase that run loomed large as the game progressed. After Bo Bichette tied the game 1-1 with an RBI single in the 3rd, the Angels added two more runs in the 4th.

Mets starter Nolan McLean struggled with command, issuing walks and ending after just four innings(the shortest start of his career), after surrendering three earned runs on six hits.

Mets Strand Runners and Lose to Angels in Extra Innings

The Mets rallied in the 7th. Mark Vientos opened the inning with a double, followed by a Marcus Semien single. Andy Ibáñez’s sacrifice fly and Tyrone Taylor’s RBI single tied the score at 3-3.

But even then, the Mets could not finish the job. With the bases loaded, Bo Bichette hit into a fielder’s choice at the plate, and Juan Soto struck out to end the threat.

The 10th inning brought another chance, and another miss. The inning started with Brett Baty reaching base after catcher’s interference, but Bichette followed with a double play while Francisco Alvarez popped out after Soto was intentionally walked.

“We had a chance to win it,” Bichette said. “I had two chances and didn’t get the job done.”

That left the Mets empty-handed again, and the Angels made them pay in the bottom. Former Yankee Oswald Peraza came through with a two-out RBI single against Austin Warren for the 4-3 walk-off win.

The loss also brought another setback to the team. Ronny Mauricio suffered a left thumb fracture during his first base dive which will lead to his entry on the injured list.

The situation becomes more difficult for the team, which already struggles without their player Francisco Lindor.

The Mets have lost 18 games out of their last 22 matchups which causes every minor mistake to become a major issue for them.

Can the Mets turn things around before this losing streak gets completely out of hand? Comment down below!

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And in front of a sold-out crowd of 102,000, the Bananas played the Texas Tailgaters in the biggest Banana Ball crowd ever. The Tailgaters won 4-3, but the score was only a part of the story.

Jesse Cole, the Bananas’ owner and the founder of Fans First Entertainment, said seeing 40,000 people outside hours before the show, then 102,000 inside the stadium, was something he would never forget.

“There’s nothing like it, the energy, the enthusiasm, the crowd, it was, it was truly special. This is definitely going to leave a lasting impression for all of us, not just myself, but our players, our cast and the hundreds of teammates we brought here,” Cole added.

He also said the journey was not easy, because people once told him no and thought the team would fail.

“When we got people telling us, ‘No,’ that was tough,” Cole said. “We were getting doors slammed in our face. We were getting hung up on. People thought we were just the next team to fail, but we kept showing up. We had a commitment to fans. And when you commit to the fans, they commit back to you.”

The challenging part of the show was the playing surface itself. For Hayden Schott, the moment felt almost unreal. The former Texas A&M player said it was a “weird feeling” to see Kyle Field covered by a baseball diamond. Because it did not even look like a baseball field at first.

“It’s a lot of work to turn a football field into a baseball field,” Cole said.

And for players with Texas ties, like Texas Tailgaters shortstop Jorden Hussein, who grew up in Houston, it was something they would never forget.

“I never thought I’d play in front of 100,000 playing baseball,” Hussein said. “That’s just not something that you hear of. So doing this, like I said, in front of a bunch of Texans means the world to me.”

And the fan experience is just as top-notch as the game itself. The night was packed with music, dance routines, celebrity cameos, baby races, and nonstop movement. Cole said the crowd kept celebrating even after the game, and that those are the kinds of ‘moments’ people remember forever.

“It’s the moments,” Cole said. “How many people get moments these days? They’re always going so fast from thing to thing to thing, and they’re disconnected and they’re on their phones in a moment like this. There’s nowhere else in the world this happened, and you get to feel connected and part of something.”

Savannah Bananas and Yankees Share a Special Bond That Goes Beyond Baseball

The Bananas sold out Yankee Stadium in September 2025, when nearly 100,000 fans packed the Bronx over two games. They came back again in April 2026 for another two-game set at Yankee Stadium.

The Bananas have also built that bridge by successfully recruiting some of the most notable faces of the Yankees’ history. The seven-time Cy Young winner and two-time Yankees World Series champion, Roger Clemens, has appeared as a pitcher for the group.

The two-time All-Star and World Series hero for both the Red Sox and Yankees, Johnny Damon, also joined the tour as an outfielder.

In New York, the Bananas also brought in familiar faces like Joe Torre, Nick Swisher, and Eli Manning as guests.

At the end, the record was not just about 102,000 seats filled. The record proved the team can transform massive football venues into successful baseball events.

Did you watch the Savannah Bananas when they played at Yankee Stadium? Comment down below!

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“To this city, this moment says something important: That greatness matters here. That history matters here. And those (who) give us their very best will always be remembered,” Stanton told the T-Mobile Park crowd.

His 51 jersey number now stands immortalized alongside Ichiro Suzuki’s 51 beyond Seattle’s center-field wall.

During his speech, Johnson revealed a story that nearly left him teary-eyed. He shared that before the 2001 season, Ichiro personally wrote to him asking permission to wear his No. 51 jersey, and without any hesitation, Randy said yes. “Without hesitation, I said, ‘Yes, go right ahead,’ ” Johnson recalled.

“I’m grateful there was room for another 51 to be retired,” Johnson said in his speech. “One number, two players representing one team.”

From 1989 to 1998, Randy Johnson terrorized hitters in a Seattle uniform. During that time, he had one of the most feared arms in the game.

He finished his Mariners tenure with five All-Star selections and earned American League Cy Young Award recognition for his 1995 campaign.

He became just the fourth player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining Mariners legends and fellow Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Ichiro Suzuki in the exclusive club. With that said, his emotional speech left the entire MLB fanbase teary-eyed.

Fans were left teary-eyed after Randy Johnson’s emotional speech

Social media users shared their emotional reactions to the ceremony.

One fan wrote, “Not even a Mariners fan and I’m out here crying.”

Another fan chimed in, “Ichiro calling Randy about #51? Pure class. Two legends, one number. ”

Meanwhile, another emotional supporter said, “What a beautiful speech, Randy Johnson. He and Ichiro are 2 baseball legends.”

Another highlighted, “Two legends, one iconic number. It doesn’t get much more special than that for Seattle sports history.”

Another emotional supporter said, “Legends of the Game.”

Beyond the jersey retirement, Mariners chairman John Stanton on Saturday night revealed that a brand new statue honoring the left-hander will rise outside the ballpark in 2027.

Were you moved by Randy Johnson’s emotional speech and what his No. 51 meant to Seattle? Comment down below!

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The MLB community celebrates Sarah Langs’ birthday on May 2 to honor her journey. Diagnosed with ALS at age 28 in 2021, Langs has used her platform to bring awareness to the disease that ended the life of Gehrig in 1941.

Langs’ birthday is memorable because it marks the day when Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig voluntarily removed himself from the Yankees’ lineup in 1939, 87 years ago.

Lou Gehrig Day is held on June 2 because that was the day Gehrig first took the field as the Yankees’ starting first baseman in 1925, the start of his 2,130-game streak, and it also marks the day he passed away in 1941, to raise ALS awareness and support research and charities linked to the disease.

Back in 2023, the club honored Langs during the 84th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s ‘Luckiest Man’ speech. Langs was the honoree participating in a pregame ceremony where Yankees players like Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and Anthony Rizzo joined her in reading portions of Gehrig’s historic address.

Langs was permitted to wear Gehrig’s actual game-used cap and hold his game-used bat in the Yankees Museum.

Just a few days ago, Manager Boone and several Yankees players visited Boston Children’s Hospital on their road series to Boston.

During this visit, they surprised a seven-year-old fan named Walker, known as ‘the heart warrior.’ Walker, a dedicated Yankees fan, was born with a congenital heart defect, and he is waiting for a transplant.

Emmet Sheehan keeps the message alive

The birthday love for Langs did not stop in New York. Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan also honored Langs on May 2 by dedicating his ‘K ALS’ glove to her for advocating for people struggling with ALS.

As a way of showing my appreciation,” Sheehan said in a video shared by MLB, “I wanted to give you one of these gloves for your birthday and make sure you had one. Thanks for everything, and happy birthday.”

May is National ALS Awareness Month. But Sheehan has worn the ‘K ALS’ message on his glove since his college days. Sheehan went to Boston College, the same school as Pete Frates, who helped spark the Ice Bucket Challenge and became a major ALS voice before his death.

“Pete was still around when I was at BC, and it was a huge inspiration for all of us,” Sheehan said. “And I just decided to keep it going after.”

The baseball world is still rallying behind Langs, proving the fight against ALS is bigger than the game.

How special is it to see the baseball community come together for Sarah Langs and the fight against ALS? Comment down below!

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The lefty gave up three runs, only one of them earned, on three hits and two walks across five innings. With that outing, he improved to 2-2 as he continues fighting for his spot in the rotation with Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole nearing their returns.

Meanwhile, Yankees starters entered the game with the best ERA in the majors at 2.62.

“I thought this was good, you know. He walked the leadoff man first two innings and then pitches around it, goes into his max speed and goes from the stretch the next inning, but then got back to the windup eventually,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

“I thought he threw the ball really well, you know, scattered a little bit, but other than those two walks, I thought he did a really good job,” Boone added.

So far in the season, the left-hander has logged 38.2 innings while posting a 3.03 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP, striking out 45 batters with an average of 10.47 strikeouts per nine innings.

However, Ryan Weathers wasn’t satisfied

During the match, Ryan Weathers took a page out of Max Fried’s playbook as he ditched his windup in the middle of the game, and it certainly worked for him.

After two shaky innings and 40 pitches through six outs, the lefty adjusted on the fly. “Sometimes windups can have more moving parts,” Weathers told the media.

“The stretch is literally just pick your leg up and go. I think that simplified what I need to do,” he added. The sixth inning got especially precarious when singles from Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson were followed by Adley Rutschman’s grounder to Ben Rice.

A defensive miscue prevented any outs, loading the bases with nobody out and leaving Jake Bird in trouble. However, the Yankees managed to pull it together for their second straight win of the series.

Do you think they can get another one and clinch the series against the Baltimore Orioles? Tell us in the comments.

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They now walk into Game 3 on Sunday, May 3, at Yankee Stadium with a chance to clinch the series.

Key Faceoff

The slated starting pitchers are Max Fried of the Yankees vs. Trey Gibson of Baltimore.

Fried is 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 47.1 innings so far this season. In his most recent outing on April 27 against Texas, he pitched 6.0 scoreless innings and allowed just four hits while striking out five.

Gibson, who will make his debut on Sunday, posted a 4.01 ERA over 24.3 innings this year at Triple-A Norfolk.

On offense, Cody Bellinger is right in the middle of everything. He went 4-for-4 on Saturday with two home runs and four RBIs, and he has now reached base in 27 of his 32 games this season.

Ben Rice homered in Game 1 and currently has 11 home runs and 26 RBIs on the season. Aaron Judge is still his usual self, with 12 homers and a 1.003 OPS. Judge recently scored his 900th career run in the series opener.

Baltimore is down in the series, but it still has a few bats that remain dangerous for New York pitchers.

Gunnar Henderson is hitting .209 with nine home runs, 19 RBIs, and five stolen bases. Taylor Ward has been steady with a .295 average and an .854 OPS.

Most notably, ‘Polar Bear’ Pete Alonso comes out of hibernation. He homered in his return to New York in Game 1 and continued his productive hitting in Game 2. Alonso has a .333 batting average with 2 hits, 2 homers, 2 RBIs, and 3 runs scored in the series.

Possible Lineups

In Game 2, Manager Aaron Boone brought Jasson Dominguez into DH, starting J.C. Escarra at catcher to rest Austin Wells, and slotting Ryan McMahon at third base in place of Amed Rosario.

For Game 3, Boone is expected to return to his primary battery to maintain the team’s momentum.

The Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has also made changes against lefty Ryan Weathers, including playing Coby Mayo at 1B and moving Pete Alonso to DH in Game 2.

Possible Yankees Lineup

1. Ben Rice (1B)
2. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B)
3. Aaron Judge (RF)
4. Cody Bellinger (LF)
5. Austin Wells (C)
6. Amed Rosario (3B)
7. José Caballero (SS)
8. Jasson Dominguez (DH)
9. Trent Grisham (CF)

Possible Orioles Lineup

1. Gunnar Henderson (SS)
2. Taylor Ward (LF)
3. Adley Rutschman (DH)
4. Pete Alonso (1B)
5. Samuel Basallo (C)
6. Tyler O’Neill (RF)
7. Leody Taveras (CF)
8. Coby Mayo (3B)
9. Jeremiah Jackson (2B)

Streaming Option

For local TV viewers in New York, the game is available on the YES Network. Baltimore viewers can catch it on MASN. For out-of-market fans, the game is streamed live on MLB.TV.

Additionally, Fubo offers a 5-day free trial, and fans can catch the game from there as well if they prefer streaming.

Who do you think will win the series-defining Game 3? Let us know in the comments.

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