WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The clock is ticking on the Yankees’ roster decisions, but they are not in a rush to call the biggest position battle or make a trade to alleviate their glut of infielders.
With Wednesday marking just over a week until the Yankees will have to finally settle on the 26-man roster for Opening Day, general manager Brian Cashman said he does not plan on declaring a winner to the shortstop competition until “towards the end” of camp.
“We’ll make a decision when we have to in the very end,” Cashman said Wednesday before the Yankees faced the Nationals at Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. “We still have some time on the clock, but we’ve had a good camp. A lot of good things to see. But we have time on the clock to make the final call.”
What began as an open competition between Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Oswald Peraza and Anthony Volpe has seemingly come down to Peraza against Volpe for the starting shortstop job to open the season.
Volpe, 21, has started 10 games at shortstop and Peraza, 22, started his 10th game there Wednesday.
Peraza, who is already on the 40-man roster and impressed in a one-month cameo at the end of last season, is pegged as the better defensive shortstop.
Volpe, who is not on the 40-man roster and has only played 22 games at Triple-A, has made a loud case for the job with his all-around play, including the 1.027 OPS he has recorded through 14 games.
While some scouts view Volpe as a second baseman in the long term, the Yankees are currently crowded at that position with Gleyber Torres and DJ LeMahieu.
Torres and Kiner-Falefa, who is trending toward becoming a utility player, could be trade candidates if the Yankees can find the right return.
But Cashman said he does not feel like trading from the club’s infield depth is a must.
“We don’t have to make a move,” Cashman said. “We’ll make a move if there’s a benefit to doing so, and if there isn’t, then we won’t.”