New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe pushed back Wednesday against a since-retracted report claiming he refused to play second base during a minor league assignment earlier this season.

YES Network broadcaster Michael Kay initially shared the report Tuesday on his ESPN radio show, citing anonymous sources. Kay retracted the claim Wednesday afternoon, saying additional calls contradicted his original information.

"I had two people tell me, and I heard rumors," said Kay. "I was wrong. Somebody called me and said that's not right. I made further calls, and they said no, that he had never refused to play second base. I retracted. I plan to talk to him and apologize."

Volpe said he learned of the report through his trainer and strongly denied its accuracy.

"It definitely caught me off guard," said Volpe. "It's confusing because it's just not true. It couldn't be further from the truth. I hope my teammates in here, I've played for them for three-plus years, I hope they know my character and that I'd literally do anything to help the team win."

The Yankees had initially planned for Volpe to see time at second base during a rehab assignment following shoulder surgery. Injuries to Jose Caballero altered those plans, leading to Volpe's recall and increased playing time at shortstop instead.

Volpe said he practiced at second base during pregame routines on days he didn't start at shortstop, despite never appearing there in an MLB game.

"I'd literally do whatever the team needed, and that's the truth behind the story," said Volpe.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team currently views Volpe strictly as its shortstop, praising his defensive performance this season.

"He's been our shortstop, and he got hurt and had surgery over the winter," said Boone. "I hate to break it to everyone, but he's been a damn good shortstop."

Volpe won a Gold Glove in 2023 and has ranked among the league's top defensive shortstops this season, though his offensive production has drawn frequent criticism since his 2023 debut.