Yankees to Test Anthony Volpe at Third Base Before Wild Card Series

Overview

• Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sept. 23 he expects to play Anthony Volpe at third base this week while George Lombard Jr. remains the primary shortstop.
• Volpe has little big-league experience at third base, though he made three starts there at Triple-A, and he has struggled offensively in 2026 with a .244 average and two home runs in 67 games.
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. was activated from the 10-day injured list and started at second base on his return, a move that opened room for lineup experiments including Volpe at the hot corner.
• Aaron Judge’s unsettled calf strain increases the stakes for the tests because Judge’s absence would raise the need for infielders who can cover multiple spots and provide lineup depth.
• New York has clinched the American League’s top Wild Card and will host a best-of-three Wild Card Series next week, leaving Boone only a few regular-season games to settle defensive alignments and postseason roles.