The definition of insanity, as the old cliché goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If that’s the case, the Yankees front office might need a wellness check.
Despite three consecutive seasons of offensive mediocrity and a 2025 campaign that saw him devolve into one of the least productive shortstops in the sport, the Yankees are doubling down on Anthony Volpe as their primary shortstop for 2026. It feels less like a calculated baseball decision and more like stubborn hope that the “Derek Jeter heir” narrative will finally stick if they just wait long enough.
Let’s be brutally honest about what we watched last year. It wasn’t just a slump; it was a full-blown regression fueled by a body that betrayed him. Dealing with a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, Volpe looked like a shadow of the Gold Glove winner we saw in 2023 and 2024. The numbers are frankly ugly to look at.
In 153 games, he slashed a meager .212/.272/.391, posting an 83 wRC+ that signaled he was 17% worse than the average big leaguer. That isn’t a slump; that’s an offensive black hole in a lineup that is trying to win a World Series.
The Glove Was Supposed to Be the Safety Net
The argument for Volpe has always been that his defense justifies the growing pains at the plate, but that safety net completely unraveled last season. The shoulder injury clearly sapped his arm strength, which plummeted to the 33rd percentile, but it also seemingly affected his range and confidence. After posting an elite +14 Outs Above Average (OAA) in 2024, Volpe cratered to a -7 OAA in 2025, effectively swinging from a defensive asset to a liability overnight.
When you combine bottom-tier defense with a bat that ranks in the 10th percentile for Expected Batting Average (xBA), you don’t have a starter; you have a problem. His WAR dropped precipitously from a respectable 3.5 in 2024 to a borderline replacement-level 1.0 last season, yet the Yankees are seemingly content to run it back.
No Plan B in Sight
What makes this gamble even riskier is the lack of a viable safety valve. The Yankees have high hopes for prospect George Lombard Jr., but he is still refining his offensive game in the minors and isn’t ready to shoulder the burden of a pennant race. So, the Yankees are stuck hoping that rehab works miracles. Volpe isn’t expected to be 100% ready for Opening Day as he rehabs that shoulder, meaning we might see a slow start from a guy who can essentially ill afford one.
Doubling down on Volpe is a testament to the organization’s patience, but patience wears thin when the window to win is right now. If the shoulder doesn’t heal perfectly or the bat remains stagnant, the Yankees are going to have a gaping hole at the most important position on the field, and this time, “potential” won’t be enough to fill it.