Boone views Volpe as Yankees' primary SS, despite benching - ESPN

NEW YORK — Shortstop Anthony Volpe was not in the New York Yankees' starting lineup Monday against the Washington Nationals for the second straight game as he toils through a frigid offensive stretch — but Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he still views him as the team's primary shortstop.

«Regularly,» Boone said when asked how often he expects to deploy Volpe for the remainder of the season. «I plan on having him back in there [Tuesday] and probably in there in some way, shape or form tonight and at some point. But just wanted to give him a couple [days] here.»

Monday was just the sixth time the Yankees took the field this season without Volpe as their starting shortstop, but it was the third time in just over a week. Jose Caballero, acquired at the trade deadline from the Tampa Bay Rays, has filled in for Volpe each time. Boone said he expects Caballero, a utility player, to play multiple positions down the stretch.

Boone labeled the two days as a «reset» for Volpe, who entered Sunday's win over the Boston Red Sox as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning but did not hit.

«Obviously, having Caballero here now makes those things a little easier when you're going through it a little bit,» Boone said. «So, yeah, just hopefully a little blow in the grind of the season is something that serves him well down the stretch.»

It has been a turbulent third season for Volpe, a 24-year-old homegrown first-round pick born in New York City and raised nearby in New Jersey as a Yankees fan, and August has been particularly rough. Volpe is 1-for-28 with a walk, a double and 11 strikeouts over his past 29 plate appearances. Since a four-hit showing Aug. 1, he's batting .121 with 1 home run, 4 walks, 19 strikeouts and a .414 OPS in