Anthony Volpe has 15 home runs this season, but what jumps off the page is how he got there. He hit just 5 homers over a 69 game stretch earlier this year. He has hit 5 more in his last 10 games. That tells you everything you need to know about how streaky and unpredictable his season has been.
This is Year 3 for Volpe, and what fans expected him to become hasn’t matched what he’s been. The hope was that by now, he would be a cornerstone. Instead it has been a rollercoaster of hot streaks, cold stretches and defensive lapses that have made it hard to trust what you’re going to get on any given night.
His current line is .216 with 15 home runs, 57 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and a .694 OPS. The power has come in flashes. His 15 homers are tied for the fifth most among shortstops in Major League Baseball. When he’s swinging well, he brings real energy to the lineup. But the full package has not been there.
Defensively, he has been way worse. Volpe leads all of baseball with 15 errors. He made 2 more last night on routine plays. The throws are rushed. Every ground ball hit his way feels like a gamble. It’s almost impossible to believe he won a Gold Glove last year watching him now.
Yankee Stadium is not holding back. The boos are getting louder. It is not just about 1 bad game. It is about a fanbase that expected more by now. Aaron Boone continues to back him and says he is a talented defender who will get through this stretch. But the truth is, the Yankees do not have another option. Volpe is the shortstop because he has to be. The leash is long because there is no one else behind him.
He will finish the year as the starter. That is not in question. What happens after the season is a different story. Can he stick at shortstop long-term? Can the Yankees continue to live with the mistakes if the offense does not fully break out?
Volpe is still only 24. There is time for him to figure it out. But the Yankees need more than potential. They need him to deliver.
The Sports Chill 