New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe made headlines in July for his poor play, resulting in hypothesis that he could also be changed by latest Yankees acquisition Jose Caballero. However Volpe’s sudden resurgence has quieted that chatter.
Earlier than the All-Star break, Volpe was hitting simply .214/.287/.384 with 10 dwelling runs in 341 at-bats. In 61 at-bats after the All-Star break (getting into Tuesday), he’s hitting .248/.288/.639 with seven dwelling runs.
There are nonetheless features of Volpe’s play that go away a lot to be desired. His low stroll charge has yielded a poor on-base share (Volpe’s .288 OBP prior to now 17 video games lags behind the league average of .316) and his below-average protection at shortstop (-6 outs above common, together with an MLB-worst 16 errors) has made him the goal of heightened scrutiny. Nonetheless, his .639 slugging share and 7 dwelling runs over this latest span supply compelling causes to go away him within the lineup.
“Now he’s beginning to see some outcomes,” supervisor Aaron Boone said of Volpe after a loss Friday, per Mike Lupica of MLB.com. “I feel his finest days are in entrance of him, this yr and past.”
Volpe’s perceived substitute, Caballero, is hitting .223/.324/.307 with two dwelling runs. His batting common and on-base share exceed Volpe’s numbers (although Volpe might quickly cross him in common). Caballero additionally is an efficient defender at shortstop and his 35 stolen bases lead the league. Nonetheless, as a result of his energy potential is sort of negligible (two HRs this season), his offense doesn’t supply vital enchancment over Volpe.
Volpe’s protection hasn’t made the progress that his offense has, which is a priority, however he gained a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2023, so he may rebound. And along with his group struggling to remain afloat (the Yankees are tied with the Mariners for the last wild-card spot entering Tuesday), Volpe’s bat has change into esssential for New York.
At a time when the Yankees are sliding, Volpe’s energy surge may very well be what retains New York within the postseason image.
