The New York Yankees have hit their first real wall of the season, and the timing couldn’t be more frustrating.
After Giancarlo Stanton’s return, the team has gone cold at the plate, failing to score in three straight games.
A major offensive slump is forcing Aaron Boone’s hand
For a team built on firepower, a scoreless stretch like this feels like a power outage in the middle of a summer heatwave.
The Yankees’ offense has been a strength all season, but in June, things have cooled off dramatically across the board.
Manager Aaron Boone is now tinkering with the batting order to spark a reaction, including moving Jasson Dominguez into the leadoff spot.
That adjustment pushed Anthony Volpe all the way down to the eighth position, a notable drop after months of top-order presence.
Anthony Volpe’s regression is becoming hard to ignore
Volpe is hitting .238/.311/.426 this season with eight home runs and a .737 OPS — not terrible, but far from elite.
He’s shown improvement with discipline, chasing fewer pitches out of the zone, but his June numbers have been underwhelming.
This month, Volpe’s on-base percentage has dipped to .278, raising red flags about his ability lock down a mid-order spot.
In a top-heavy lineup, the Yankees need their leadoff or No. 2 hitters to get on base and pressure opposing pitchers early. Betting on Dominguez is an interesting choice.
A change in role could help Volpe reset
Despite the demotion, moving Volpe down the order might allow him to reset mentally and simplify his approach at the plate.
In many ways, it’s like asking a high-leverage pitcher to work lower innings — it’s still valuable, just less pressurized.
Volpe’s bat still carries potential, and contributing from the bottom third could lengthen the lineup and provide balance.
Boone is likely hoping this is more of a breather than a long-term reassignment, and Volpe has the tools to respond.
Yankees must solve lineup imbalance
The Yankees’ offensive struggles aren’t isolated to one player — most of the lineup has dipped at the same time.
Still, Volpe’s early-season role made him a key piece of their engine, and they need him to return to form quickly.
If the Yankees can get Stanton rolling and Dominguez settled into the leadoff role, a productive Volpe could flip the lineup over.
That would create a true top-to-bottom threat — something that hasn’t existed during this latest scoring drought.
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