Anthony Volpe’s droop forces Aaron Boone to make Yankees resolution
Anthony Volpe’s extended droop lastly landed him on the bench Saturday — to not begin the sport, however on the finish, because the shortstop was changed by pinch-hitter Trent Grisham within the prime of the ninth of a one-run recreation.
It’s the most recent instance of how far Volpe has fallen, as Aaron Boone went with the lefty-swinging Grisham to face Reed Garrett to start out the highest of the ninth after Volpe went hitless in his first three at-bats in a 6-5 loss to the Mets at Citi Discipline.
The transfer didn’t work, as Grisham flied out to left, however it was indicative of the struggles Volpe has had, particularly during the last three weeks. His OPS is all the way down to .695, the bottom it’s been since late April.
“The competitor in you desires to be on the market and assist the crew, and you are feeling like you possibly can, however these issues are out of my management,” Volpe stated of the choice to make use of a pinch-hitter within the essential spot. “What’s [in my control] is simply placing within the work and incomes these at-bats. Incomes each at-bat.”
Boone acknowledged Volpe’s current woes had been an element within the transfer.
“Understanding Garrett was going again out [for a second inning], I’d moderately have a lefty going through him,” Boone stated. “And what [Volpe] has gone via right here the previous few weeks, getting it going and having some actual thunder [in Grisham] over there, too.”
However this isn’t unfamiliar territory for Volpe and the Yankees, because the third-year participant has a tough stretch — or extra — every season.
There’s constant expectation Volpe will get again to utilizing the whole subject extra constantly, however he far too typically rolls balls over to the left facet of the infield, one thing he did once more Saturday when he bounced into an inning-ending double play within the sixth towards Austin Warren.
Requested if he’s feeling strain due to his personal poor play and that of the whole crew, which has misplaced 5 in a row, Volpe stated, “It’s the identical as ever. The identical commonplace I maintain myself to on daily basis.”
He stated he’s “been grinding, for certain” on the plate.
“I feel it’s simply timing,” Volpe stated. “If you’re not in your timing, you are feeling late or fast, and so much is gonna break down.”
Boone known as Volpe’s outcomes “a blended bag. I really feel like one or two instances a recreation, he has an honest swing.”
He pointed to the deep fly ball to middle that Volpe hit to start out the fifth that Tyrone Taylor tracked down.
Nonetheless, he’s 11-for-77 with simply three extra-base hits in his final 22 video games. And that comes after a largely ugly remaining 4 months of 2024 earlier than a shocking turnaround within the playoffs that now looks like a distant reminiscence.
“He’s going via it a bit of bit proper now,” Boone stated. “He’s obtained to maintain engaged on it.”
