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Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees aren’t ready to wave the white flag on struggling shortstop Anthony Volpe.
It’s been another slow start for Volpe, who has developed a reputation as a streaky hitter in three big-league seasons. Volpe enters Saturday hitting .140 with no home runs and 22 strikeouts across his last 68 plate appearances.
However, Boone made it clear he’s sticking with Vope, even before Friday’s stunning collapse against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“You’re a good series away from being back in that [.800 OPS] neighborhood,” Boone told reporters, according to the New York Post.
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony VolpeGregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Boone may be onto something. Volpe increased his OPS from .680 to .696 with his 1-for-4 performance Friday night.
Nonetheless, Volpe’s latest slump is hurting the Yankees’ already abysmal lineup. Despite a career-high .303 on-base percentage, Volpe’s .202 average and .696 OPS have played a major role in the Yankees’ 9-9 stretch.
“But he’s walking more, hitting the ball hard,” Boone said before the 4-2 loss.
“Got to get a little more contact,” Boone continued, “but no reason to think that can’t start to happen again.”
Barring injury, Volpe has tightened his chokehold on the starting shortstop job. The Yankees let veteran second baseman Gleyber Torres, who began his career at short, leave for the Detroit Tigers in free agency. Former All-Star slugger DJ LeMahieu will likely play a utility infield role when he returns from a calf injury.
However, LeMahieu hasn’t played shortstop since 2014 with the Colorado Rockies, so we likely wouldn’t see him replace Volpe.
Help isn’t coming from the minors, either. The Yankees’ No. 1 prospect, shortstop/second baseman George Lombard Jr., is a 19-year-old at High-A.
Volpe still has time to turn it around, though it’s worth noting he owns a career .236 average and .706 OPS in May. That doesn’t bode well for a Yankees club seemingly on the verge of a freefall.
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It’s been another slow start for Volpe, who has developed a reputation as a streaky hitter in three big-league seasons. Volpe enters Saturday hitting .140 with no home runs and 22 strikeouts across his last 68 plate appearances.
However, Boone made it clear he’s sticking with Vope, even before Friday’s stunning collapse against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“You’re a good series away from being back in that [.800 OPS] neighborhood,” Boone told reporters, according to the New York Post.
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New York Yankees shortstop Anthony VolpeGregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Boone may be onto something. Volpe increased his OPS from .680 to .696 with his 1-for-4 performance Friday night.
Nonetheless, Volpe’s latest slump is hurting the Yankees’ already abysmal lineup. Despite a career-high .303 on-base percentage, Volpe’s .202 average and .696 OPS have played a major role in the Yankees’ 9-9 stretch.
“But he’s walking more, hitting the ball hard,” Boone said before the 4-2 loss.
“Got to get a little more contact,” Boone continued, “but no reason to think that can’t start to happen again.”
Barring injury, Volpe has tightened his chokehold on the starting shortstop job. The Yankees let veteran second baseman Gleyber Torres, who began his career at short, leave for the Detroit Tigers in free agency. Former All-Star slugger DJ LeMahieu will likely play a utility infield role when he returns from a calf injury.
However, LeMahieu hasn’t played shortstop since 2014 with the Colorado Rockies, so we likely wouldn’t see him replace Volpe.
Help isn’t coming from the minors, either. The Yankees’ No. 1 prospect, shortstop/second baseman George Lombard Jr., is a 19-year-old at High-A.
Volpe still has time to turn it around, though it’s worth noting he owns a career .236 average and .706 OPS in May. That doesn’t bode well for a Yankees club seemingly on the verge of a freefall.
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Related: Longtime Yankees Announcer Makes Major Decision About Broadcasting Future
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