With Anthony Volpe now nearing the end of his third big league season, the only thing consistent about his game is the length the Yankees will go to defend it.
After going 0-for-3 with a strikeout in Friday’s 1-0 loss to Boston, Volpe — prone to short-lived highs and prolonged lows — is now 7-for-his-last-56 (.125). He is hitting .209 with a .679 OPS and an 87 wRC+ on the season, while his career numbers were .211, .667 and 86 entering prior to Friday’s game. Volpe has never had an on-base percentage above .300, and his baserunning and defense have taken serious steps backwards this season.
With -7 Outs Above Average, the former Gold Glover ranked 22nd out of 25 qualified shortstops entering Friday. His 16 errors ranked 24th.
Still, Aaron Boone called Volpe a “f–king elite” defender earlier this season. Brian Cashman insisted “he’s going to be part of the solution, rather than the problem.”
There hasn’t been much evidence of that so far, but that has not stopped the Yankees from talking about Volpe like he is a star player. Or from treating him like he can do no wrong, even throughout a season full of mistakes.
Another blunder came in Friday’s game, as did another dubious defense from Boone, Volpe’s staunchest supporter.
With Volpe having already been booed for striking out in the eighth inning, the shortstop fielded a Ceddanne Rafaela groundball at shortstop with nobody out in the ninth inning. Jarren Duran wandered a bit off second base on the play, prompting Volpe to make a 48.3-mph throw behind the runner in hopes of getting a tag out at second instead of the routine out at first. Instead, Duran beat the short throw back to second, while Rafaela easily beat Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s throw to first.
Zero outs were recorded on the play.
While the mishap didn’t come back to burn the Yankees — Volpe ultimately threw Duran out at home plate on a sharp play — throwing to first was the obvious move. Boone acknowledged that, but he spent far more time excusing Volpe’s decision, which forced closer David Bednar to throw extra pitches.
“It’s obviously not the right play, but it’s a little bit of a heady play too. He almost caught a guy off in scoring position there,” Boone said. “I mean, are we going to really dive into that one a lot? I mean, I get it. He wasn’t out, but it’s kind of a heads-up [play], almost got a guy napping.”
Volpe would have had to throw the ball harder than he did to make the play, but that would have risked firing it past Chisholm.
“You can’t throw a rocket over there,” Boone said, adding that Duran affected Chisholm’s throw to first.
Even if good throws had been made all around, the smart play in a tight, much-needed divisional game still would have been for Volpe to get the easy out at first base. Saying so shouldn’t require so many caveats.
After all, Jasson Domínguez plainly said he made a “mistake,” as the left fielder threw to third on the next play when he had no shot at getting Duran, which allowed Rafaela an easy advance to second. Boone, meanwhile, criticized Austin Wells for getting doubled off first base in the sixth inning on a moderately-hit line drive to shortstop.
“Can’t get doubled off there,” Boone said, repeating words he’s used frequently over two months of sloppy Yankees baseball. “It’s one thing, a bullet to like the second basemen or something where you flinch and they grab you, but across the diamond like that? Even if you flinch at it, you gotta know to sit down. That’s one that we need back.”
But when it comes to Volpe, there is always a “but” or a justification that defies the eyes.
The difference now, compared to earlier in the season, is that the Yankees have a capable alternative in José Caballero, as he can handle short and has hit well since being acquired from the Rays. No one is saying he will replace Volpe as the starter — that is not something the Yankees will consider — but the team wouldn’t be wrong to give the high-energy utility man more starts at short and Volpe more days off.
It also wouldn’t have been wrong for Boone to have Giancarlo Stanton pinch-hit for the struggling Volpe in the eighth inning on Friday. Instead, Stanton hit for Ryan McMahon after Volpe struck out on three pitches, chasing a low changeup from Garrett Whitlock.
Boone did consider having Stanton hit for Volpe. However, the manager said he went the way he did because Volpe’s speed had the potential to wreak havoc if he reached base, and because Whitlock is a bit of a reverse splits pitcher.
The right-handed Whitlock has rather even splits this season and for his career, while Volpe’s .277 on-base percentage was tied for the second-lowest of any qualified hitter entering Friday. The odds of him putting his speed to use were slim.
“He hasn’t been swinging great the last week after really getting it going there for a few weeks,” Boone said, referring to a post-All-Star break power surge that Volpe enjoyed. “These last two days, he’s just missed a couple of pitches that he has hit well.
“We’ve got to get him going again offensively. But I think he’s in the right frame [of mind].”
Boone has repeatedly praised Volpe’s mindset and attitude, expressing faith that the childhood Yankees fan is built to handle the pressures of New York. And the Yankees love to tout the 24-year-old’s work ethic, which is undoubtedly as strong as that of any player in the team’s clubhouse.
But Volpe’s work isn’t yielding results. It’s certainly not yielding consistency.
The excuses, however, have become a regular occurrence.
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