When the Yankees made the decision at the end of spring training to make Anthony Volpe their starting shortstop, they made it clear he was going to get a long run.
“He knows, for better or for worse, we’re committed to letting him handle that position,” general manager Brian Cashman said on the last day of camp.
Through the Yankees’ first 61 games of the season — with Volpe appearing in every single one of them — the rookie has run the gamut of highs and lows, with more of the latter lately.
But there he was in the ninth inning Sunday at Dodger Stadium, turning on a fastball and crushing it for a two-run home run that gave the Yankees some much-needed breathing room in their 4-1 win.
After entering the day 6-for-56 with 22 strikeouts over his previous 17 games, he delivered a two-hit game and homered in the clutch, once again backing up the Yankees’ belief that he is equipped to handle the inevitable struggles.
Anthony Volpe has been through both ups and downs in the early stages of his rookie season. USA TODAY Sports “When they called him up, there were going to be some bumps and bruises along the way,” said Aaron Judge, who has been in Volpe’s corner since spring training. “But I think the organization, everybody knew he was the type of guy that could handle that adversity and take it head on. That’s what he’s done all year for us. It’s been impressive to watch and impressive to be around.”
Volpe entered Monday’s off day with a slash line of .193/.268/.363, nine home runs, 72 strikeouts, 21 walks and 13 steals (though none since May 13) in 61 games.
His walk rate has gone down since the first month of the season and he has mixed some terrific defense with a team-high seven errors.
Still, the Yankees have been encouraged by how he has responded to the growing pains.
“That’s what’s been impressive about him,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Through all this, through times where he’s struggled at the plate, times where he’s made some errors — he always just bounces right back. He’s helped us win a lot of games. … He’s finding his way and it’s fun to watch him do it.”
The stats back up Volpe’s knack for coming through in some big moments.
In late and close situations — defined by Baseball Reference as plate appearances in the seventh inning or later with the game tied, the Yankees ahead by one or the tying run at least on deck — Volpe is batting .314 (11-for-35) with a .963 OPS and nine strikeouts in 36 plate appearances.
Anthony Volpe’s fielding has been inconsistent. AP
Anthony Volpe reacts after striking out during the Yankees-Orioles game on May 25. Robert Sabo for the NY PostVolpe’s 1.0 Wins Above Replacement (via Baseball Reference) also ranks fourth among Yankees position players.
Besides the pressure of being the Yankees’ starting shortstop at the age of 22, the noise around Volpe has been louder lately with Oswald Peraza going on a tear at Triple-A (10 home runs in his last 17 games).
The Yankees also sent another scuffling rookie, Oswaldo Cabrera, to Triple-A last week before he returned two days later because of an injury.
Anthony Volpe celebrates after hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly in the Yankees’ win over the Orioles on May 23. USA TODAY Sports But true to form, Volpe said he wasn’t concerned with any of that.
“It’s tough enough to play as it is,” Volpe said. “So I’m just trying to prepare and get ready every day to give my best every day.”
