BALTIMORE — A middle finger has presented Anthony Volpe with a lifeline back to the big leagues — at least a temporary one.

Just over a week after the shortstop was optioned to Triple-A following the conclusion of his rehab assignment, with José Caballero playing too well to give up the starting job, the Yankees called up Volpe on Tuesday as Caballero landed on the injured list with a small fracture in his right middle finger.

The Yankees hope Caballero will only need the minimum 10 days on the IL — he fought going on it at all, but then said late Tuesday night, “Ten days, that’s the max I’m taking” — and Aaron Boone added he expects once Caballero returns, he will resume being the club’s starting shortstop.

Anthony Volpe playing for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, during a game against the Worcester Red Sox. Arthur Mansavage for NY Post

“He’s played as well as anyone out there,” Boone said Tuesday before a 6-2 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards. “That would be my expectation.”

So while Volpe may not be able to reclaim the starting job, after he had lost it while recovering from left shoulder surgery, the plan is for him to at least be playing shortstop “pretty much” every day while Caballero is out, Boone said. In doing so, he will have a chance to remind the Yankees what he is capable of after a long road back to the big leagues.

ankees’ Anthony Volpe, right, watches from the dugout during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, May 12, 2026 AP

“If I’ve learned anything out of all this, it’s there’s things I can control and things I can’t,” said Volpe, who was not in the lineup because he did not arrive until around first pitch. “We got a game tomorrow and that’s what I’m focused on. Throughout this whole thing, it’s been day to day, how I can get better, how I can improve and that’s all I’m focused on.”

The 25-year-old Volpe spent the past three years as the everyday shortstop, with the Yankees letting him play through his struggles — mostly offensively, though he went through a rough stretch defensively last summer — in part because they lacked a legitimate option to replace him. But in Caballero, they have found one as his 1.7 bWAR was the fourth-highest mark on the team as of Tuesday.

Yankees’ José Caballero, left, is caught by Baltimore Orioles second baseman Blaze Alexander, right, while trying to steal second base. AP

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Caballero said it “means a lot” that Boone indicated he would get his starting shortstop job back once he returns. It remains to be seen what that will mean for Volpe, who has not yet started working out at any other positions, but he sounded like someone who was ready for a second chance just over a week removed from getting the news he was being optioned to Triple-A.

“I just had to take it and go to work and work to get back here,” said Volpe, who hit .167 with a .472 OPS in five games with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last week. “I didn’t know how long or how short or whatever. I just wanted to get to work.

“What’s happened has happened. I put in a lot of work to feel this good and come back and help this team.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr., who grew close with Volpe as double-play partners last season, said he has told the shortstop he is “built for this,” meaning fighting back from adversity. Boone believes that, too.

“Anthony’s tough physically, tough mentally and he knows what he’s up here to do,” Boone said. “He’s all about our team mission of, we want to win it all and be the best we can be. He knows he has a chance to be a big part of that.”

Caballero has already been a big part of that this season and hopes to pick up where he left off after giving his finger — which he injured diving back into first base Sunday in Milwaukee — a few days to heal.

“He’s a gamer, man, he really is,” Boone said. “Last year he was playing through a finger issue on the other hand that he was able to play through. He’s played through stuff already this season. So he’s one of those guys in the room that is really tough and can play with stuff. He wanted to try to do it here after a few days, but felt like we had to do what’s best for him here in this spot.”