For much of the summer, Yankees manager Aaron Boone has had an easy spot in the lineup.
Each game for the past 46 New York contests, Boone has written Anthony Volpe in as the shortstop.
Not on Sunday, though.
Instead, Volpe sits. Jose Caballero gets the start at short.
It's a day off for Volpe, who has gone 0-for-9 with four strikeouts through the first two games of the Yankees' series in St. Louis.
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On the season, Volpe's average has dropped to .215, with his on-base percentage at .283. Volpe does have 25 doubles, four triples, 18 homers, 65 RBI and 15 steals. He makes a lot of things happen on the stat sheet when he makes contact, but he also has 115 strikeouts.
Volpe's defense has also left something to be desired at times, and although he'll surely be right back at shortstop soon, the Yankees are giving Caballero a shot for the day.
New York got Caballero from the Tampa Bay Rays right before the trade deadline buzzer on July 31. He's capable of playing all over the field.
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Caballero is most known for his speed, and in nine Yankees appearances, he's already 5-for-5 stealing bases.
Caballero is 5-for-14 (.357) in his limited New York action so far.
A Sunday afternoon game is often the perfect time for teams to give their lesser-played options a start, and that's what the Yankees are doing with Caballero. It's unlikely he'll unseat Volpe anytime soon, but this is a chance for Caballero to at least prove he deserves a few more looks down the stretch of the season as the Yankees try and heat up.
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