The New York Yankees may be riding a four-game winning streak, but Anthony Volpe’s continued struggles remain impossible to ignore.
Manager Aaron Boone has tried to spark Volpe out of his season-long funk, yet the results continue to disappoint consistently.
Even in Thursday’s win over the White Sox, Volpe committed a costly defensive lapse that nearly flipped the entire game.
His botched routine ground ball loaded the bases before Will Warren surrendered a grand slam that tied things at four.
Volpe’s defense no longer reliable
Volpe’s defense was once billed as a steadying strength, but his numbers this season tell a troublingly different story.
The 24-year-old has -7 outs above average, a .963 fielding percentage, and 17 errors across 1,119.2 innings at shortstop.
Those metrics paint the picture of a player whose glove is more liability than asset in a critical defensive role.
Every mistake feels magnified on a team competing for a division crown, making Boone’s decision to trust him increasingly questionable.
Offensive numbers equally concerning
Volpe’s bat hasn’t offered redemption either, as he’s posting an 82 wRC+, making him 18 percent below league average.
That marks the worst offensive output of his young career, a far cry from the consistency expected from a cornerstone infielder.
Even with two hits and an RBI against Chicago, the production remains hollow compared to the opportunities regularly afforded him.
Boone’s insistence on forcing him into the lineup continues to feel like stubborn optimism rather than a merit-based decision.
Jose Caballero making his case
Meanwhile, Jose Caballero has proven he deserves an extended chance, sparking the Yankees’ recent winning streak when given starts.
His energy, defensive reliability, and situational hitting have offered exactly what the Yankees’ lineup desperately needed during their slump.
Caballero may not have Volpe’s pedigree, but he’s currently giving the team a better chance to win consistently.
At this stage, production should outweigh potential, especially with September baseball demanding sharper decisions from the dugout.
Boone’s handling under the microscope
Aaron Boone’s player management has often divided fans, and his treatment of the shortstop position highlights those frustrations again.
Continuing to run Volpe out daily despite glaring struggles feels like a gamble that could cost the Yankees critical games.
Managers often ride with slumping players hoping they break through, but patience can quickly shift into stubbornness at this level.
The Yankees need to prioritize winning now, not hope that development conveniently aligns with the timing of a playoff chase.
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What is Volpe’s long-term role?
The question is no longer whether Volpe is struggling — it’s what role he should realistically hold moving forward.
If his defense continues to regress and his bat doesn’t rebound, his best fit may be a utility role.
Caballero has shown he’s capable of anchoring shortstop, leaving Volpe as a flexible piece rather than an everyday starter.
For a team with championship aspirations, Boone must decide if loyalty outweighs logic or if it’s finally time for change.