Yankees have Mariners' flippancy to thank for Anthony Volpe upgrade at shortstop

In 2023, the Mariners called up José Caballero to take over for a heavily slumping Kolten Wong at second base. He had a solid year with Seattle, posting 2.5 rWAR, but was traded that offseason to the Rays in exchange for Luke Raley. The front office eventually traded for Jorge Polanco to provide badly needed offensive production at second, something Caballero didn't quite offer.

In 2026, Caballero now finds himself playing for the Yankees and although it's a much larger media market on the other side of the country, his current role on the team has more than a few similarities to his time in Seattle. In fact, if the Mariners hadn't let him go, there's good reason to think that the Yankees would be going through quite the infield predicament right now.

José Caballero will be filling in as the Yankees' starting shortstop after Anthony Volpe's demotion

New York recently decided to keep Anthony Volpe in Triple-A after taking him off the injured list, a move that was as bearish on Volpe as it was bullish on Caballero. While Volpe has struggled immensely at the plate and with defensive miscues, Caballero has made a compelling case to keep his spot on the roster.

Across 128 plate appearances, he has posted a 100 OPS+ and has already accumulated three Outs Above Average, placing him in the 93rd percentile. He has been a persistent menace on the base paths, leading the American League in stolen bases in 2024 and 2025 and holding the top spot in the AL so far in 2026 with 13 stolen bases.

Given his success, one might be wondering why Seattle was so hasty to send him away. The answer lies in the organization's prospect depth, which has been heavily skewed toward the middle infield. With Cole Young and Colt Emerson presumably occupying the two starting spots for the foreseeable future, it didn't make sense to carry a player doomed to play second fiddle, especially when he's worth far more in a trade.

Other top prospects like Felnin Celesten and Michael Arroyo likely have more potential value than Caballero, whose offensive output has been proven to be quite limited. Throw in the fact that Luke Raley could've been a solution for a position at which the Mariners have struggled to find strength and the deal makes sense, even in hindsight.

When seeing former Mariners find success with new organizations, it's natural to wonder what could've happened if they had stayed. Seattle may have overlooked Caballero's abilities as a starting infielder, but more pressing roster needs are what ultimately forced their hand. Nonetheless, it's encouraging to see his career continue to flourish, even if it means playing for a heated rival.

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