With Anthony Volpe now nearing the tip of his third massive league season, the one factor constant about his recreation is the size the Yankees will go to defend it.
After going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Friday’s 1-0 loss to Boston, Volpe — vulnerable to short-lived highs and extended lows — is now 7-for-his-last-56 (.125). He’s hitting .209 with a .679 OPS and an 87 wRC+ on the season, whereas his profession numbers have been .211, .667 and 86 coming into previous to Friday’s recreation. Volpe has by no means had an on-base share above .300, and his baserunning and protection have taken severe steps backwards this season.
With -7 Outs Above Common, the previous Gold Glover ranked twenty second out of 25 certified shortstops coming into Friday. His 16 errors ranked twenty fourth.
Nonetheless, Aaron Boone known as Volpe a “f–king elite” defender earlier this season. Brian Cashman insisted “he’s going to be part of the solution, rather than the problem.”
There hasn’t been a lot proof of that thus far, however that has not stopped the Yankees from speaking about Volpe like he’s a star participant. Or from treating him like he can do no fallacious, even all through a season stuffed with errors.
One other blunder got here in Friday’s recreation, as did one other doubtful protection from Boone, Volpe’s staunchest supporter.
With Volpe having already been booed for putting out within the eighth inning, the shortstop fielded a Ceddanne Rafaela groundball at shortstop with no person out within the ninth inning. Jarren Duran wandered a bit off second base on the play, prompting Volpe to make a 48.3-mph throw behind the runner in hopes of getting a tag out at second as a substitute of the routine out at first. As an alternative, Duran beat the brief throw again to second, whereas Rafaela simply beat Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s throw to first.
Zero outs have been recorded on the play.
Whereas the mishap didn’t come again to burn the Yankees — Volpe finally threw Duran out at house plate on a pointy play — throwing to first was the apparent transfer. Boone acknowledged that, however he spent much more time excusing Volpe’s choice, which compelled nearer David Bednar to throw additional pitches.
“It’s obviously not the right play, but it’s a little bit of a heady play too. He almost caught a guy off in scoring position there,” Boone mentioned. “I mean, are we going to really dive into that one a lot? I mean, I get it. He wasn’t out, but it’s kind of a heads-up [play], almost got a guy napping.”
Volpe would have needed to throw the ball more durable than he did to make the play, however that might have risked firing it previous Chisholm.
“You can’t throw a rocket over there,” Boone mentioned, including that Duran affected Chisholm’s throw to first.
Even when good throws had been made throughout, the good play in a decent, much-needed divisional recreation nonetheless would have been for Volpe to get the simple out at first base. Saying so shouldn’t require so many caveats.
In spite of everything, Jasson Domínguez plainly mentioned he made a “mistake,” because the left fielder threw to 3rd on the subsequent play when he had no shot at getting Duran, which allowed Rafaela a simple advance to second. Boone, in the meantime, criticized Austin Wells for getting doubled off first base within the sixth inning on a moderately-hit line drive to shortstop.
“Can’t get doubled off there,” Boone mentioned, repeating phrases he’s used incessantly over two months of sloppy Yankees baseball. “It’s one thing, a bullet to like the second basemen or something where you flinch and they grab you, but across the diamond like that? Even if you flinch at it, you gotta know to sit down. That’s one that we need back.”
However relating to Volpe, there’s at all times a “but” or a justification that defies the eyes.
The distinction now, in comparison with earlier within the season, is that the Yankees have a succesful different in José Caballero, as he can deal with brief and has hit properly since being acquired from the Rays. Nobody is saying he’ll exchange Volpe because the starter — that isn’t one thing the Yankees will take into account — however the workforce wouldn’t be fallacious to present the high-energy utility man extra begins at brief and Volpe extra days off.
It additionally wouldn’t have been fallacious for Boone to have Giancarlo Stanton pinch-hit for the struggling Volpe within the eighth inning on Friday. As an alternative, Stanton hit for Ryan McMahon after Volpe struck out on three pitches, chasing a low changeup from Garrett Whitlock.
Boone did take into account having Stanton hit for Volpe. Nonetheless, the supervisor mentioned he went the way in which he did as a result of Volpe’s velocity had the potential to wreak havoc if he reached base, and since Whitlock is a little bit of a reverse splits pitcher.
The appropriate-handed Whitlock has reasonably even splits this season and for his profession, whereas Volpe’s .277 on-base share was tied for the second-lowest of any certified hitter coming into Friday. The chances of him placing his velocity to make use of have been slim.
“He hasn’t been swinging great the last week after really getting it going there for a few weeks,” Boone mentioned, referring to a post-All-Star break energy surge that Volpe loved. “These final two days, he’s simply missed a few pitches that he has hit properly.
“We’ve got to get him going again offensively. But I think he’s in the right frame [of mind].”
Boone has repeatedly praised Volpe’s mindset and perspective, expressing religion that the childhood Yankees fan is constructed to deal with the pressures of New York. And the Yankees like to tout the 24-year-old’s work ethic, which is undoubtedly as sturdy as that of any participant within the workforce’s clubhouse.
However Volpe’s work isn’t yielding outcomes. It’s definitely not yielding consistency.
The justifications, nevertheless, have develop into an everyday prevalence.
Initially Revealed: August 23, 2025 at 8:55 AM EDT
