Anthony Volpe’s slump is approaching catastrophic levels, even if the New York Yankees refuse to admit it.
Even though the Yankees shortstop put up went 2 for 3 in in their fifth straight win, a 10-4 victory over the lowly Chicago White Sox, Yankees manager Aaron Boone continued to voice his support for the embattled infielder amid his defensive struggles and 3-for-40 stretch at the plate.
Volpe, who sat two games earlier this week in favor of Jose Caballero to “reset” according to Boone, snapped an 0 for 25 slump with a fourth-inning double that knocked Chicago starter Davis Martin. He also committed his 18th defensive error of the season.
For the season, Volpe is slashing .207/.271/.397 with 18 home runs, 66 RBIs and 57 runs scored in 132 games.
What Did Aaron Boone Say To Defend Anthony Volpe?
In credit to Volpe, he was completely involved in New York’s win Thursday. He reached base three times, stole his 16th base and scored on Ben Rice’s second-inning single then drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning that gave the Yankees a 7-4 lead.
So when asked about Volpe’s night, Boone got defensive of his embattled shortstop.
âHeâs a more productive offensive player than he gets credit for,â Boone said, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. “We just hammer the struggles, because, on some level, there were people that anointed him and expected so much.
“Even though he hasnât come close to realizing what we expect and what he expects offensively â and acknowledging a few weeks this year where he struggled even defensively â heâs still a frontline defensive player at a premium position that is offensively somewhat productive.”
Boone’s assessment of Volpe’s defense is far from accurate, at least in 2024. Even though he has taken the 13th-most chances of any qualifying shortstop, Volpe is second in MLB in errors (18) and has the second-worst fielding percentage (.961) behind only Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds — an elite offensive player who has fielded nearly 30 more chances than Volpe.
Should The Yankees Send Anthony Volpe To Triple-A?
Volpe never took a plate appearance in Triple-A, since the Yankees plucked him from spring training — after completing Double-A in 2021 — to the majors in 2022.
Yet, there are whispers about him building up his confidence by playing in Triple-A. The Yankees love to point out that Volpe had an .815 OPS in the postseason last year, and Boone went to bat again for keeping his shortstop in the big leagues.
“Obviously, heâs had a 10-day stretch here where heâs gone from over a .700 OPS four months into the year to below,” Boone said. “What planet does that guy get sent down thatâs a shortstop? I donât know that planet.”
Boone also assessed Volpe’s confidence amid his difficult stretch, which the seventh-year manager says hasn’t wavered
âI think weâll get him through this,â Boone said. âI donât think he should be sent down. I think mentally and emotionally, heâs so much better equipped to handle this than people might imagine.
“I donât think heâs getting banged down by this. Iâve never seen that out of him. Iâve never felt that way where this guy needs a break, which could pop up with a player that maybe has been a good player who now needs a timeout. I donât feel that way.”
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