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NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez did not hold back. The Yankees legend took aim at his former team’s hitting approach during a radio interview Friday. He pointed directly at shortstop Anthony Volpe as proof that something is deeply wrong in the Bronx.
The numbers tell a troubling story. Three straight seasons of 150 or more strikeouts. A .212 batting average in 2025. A once promising prospect now fighting for his job while recovering from shoulder surgery.
Rodriguez believes the problem runs far deeper than one player. He thinks the entire organization has lost its way at the plate.
A-Rod calls out the organization’s approach
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Speaking with Brandon Tierney on WFAN, Rodriguez delivered a blunt assessment of Volpe and the Yankees’ offensive system. The three-time MVP did not sugarcoat his concerns about the homegrown shortstop.
“He really is an incredible young man with a great family and the organization has fallen in love with him,” Rodriguez said. “But at some point, the numbers don’t lie, right? You have 167 strikeouts [in his first season], 156 and 150 and here’s a young man that the biggest way he can impact winning is with his No. 1 tool and that’s his legs. But we’ve taken his legs away.”
A-Rod says Anthony Volpe's struggles highlight the Yankees "broken" hitting philosophy: pic.twitter.com/KMqFJw5R77
Rodriguez expanded on what he meant by that statement. He believes the Yankees have stripped Volpe of the skills that made him special in the minor leagues.
“And what I mean by that, here’s a young man who has stolen over 50 stolen bases in the minor leagues. He stole 18 last year. And it’s hard to impact winning when you’re striking out 150 times and you’re hitting .212,” Rodriguez said. “So I think if you zoom out, it’s an organization hitting philosophy that is absolutely broken, and until they fix it, I don’t think they win big.”
Volpe thrived in the minors before the struggles began
The New Jersey native showed real promise coming through the farm system. He posted a 1.027 OPS with 27 home runs across two levels of Single-A ball in 2021. The following year, he hit 21 homers with an .802 OPS split between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Something changed when he reached the majors. Volpe has posted a .662 career OPS across three seasons in pinstripes. His 2025 campaign was particularly rough. He slashed .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs and 72 RBIs in 596 plate appearances.
The strikeout totals have remained stubbornly high. He fanned 167 times as a rookie in 2023. That dropped slightly to 156 in 2024. This past season saw 150 punchouts. The Yankees have not found a way to reduce those numbers despite three years of work.
Shoulder injury complicated a difficult season
Volpe played through a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder for most of 2025. The injury occurred in early May when he felt a pop after diving for a grounder against the Tampa Bay Rays. He never landed on the injured list but required two cortisone shots to manage the pain.
The shortstop underwent surgery in October to repair the damage. Manager Aaron Boone said Volpe will not swing a bat for at least four months. He may not be able to dive on the shoulder for six months. General manager Brian Cashman expects him back sometime in April or May at the latest.
Cashman has acknowledged the injury likely affected Volpe’s performance more than the team realized during the season. Before the May injury, Volpe had a .786 OPS. After the injury, that number dropped to .628 for the remainder of the year.
Defense also took a major step backward
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The struggles extended beyond the batter’s box. Volpe committed 19 errors in 2025, tied for third most in the majors. That marked a steep decline for a player who won a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2023 and was a finalist for the award in 2024.
His advanced defensive metrics cratered. Volpe finished at minus-7 Outs Above Average and plus-2 Defensive Runs Saved. Both numbers represented significant drops from his previous seasons. The shoulder injury likely played a role, though his range appeared to suffer more than his throwing.
The postseason offered no relief. Volpe went 1-for-15 with 11 strikeouts in the American League Division Series loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Fans at Yankee Stadium booed him during that series. One frustrated supporter was caught on camera yelling at him to swing the bat.
Front office stands behind the shortstop
Despite the disappointing season, the Yankees have not wavered publicly in their support for Volpe. Cashman addressed the situation at the Winter Meetings earlier this month in Orlando.
“You can never predict somebody’s journey, somebody’s impact,” Cashman said. “[Volpe and Caballero are] both quality players in their own right, but I still believe everything that we felt about [Volpe] prior to his surgery, and I’m happy we have Cabby, as well. So I have no idea where things will go.”
Cashman added that playing time will be earned on the field. “The game separates it all, the men from the boys. It dictates who should and who shouldn’t be playing over the course of time from the roster that the manager has. People continue to earn their playing time or they don’t. If it’s competition of guys on the club, may the best man win and keep it.”
Competition awaits when Volpe returns
Jose Caballero will likely open the 2026 season as the starting shortstop while Volpe recovers. The midseason trade acquisition provided a spark after arriving from the Seattle Mariners. He started nine games at short when Volpe was sidelined in September and showed solid range and energy.
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The Yankees have also been linked to bigger names. Free agent infielder Bo Bichette and Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager have both been mentioned as potential targets. Any significant addition at the position would further complicate Volpe’s path back to everyday playing time.
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Volpe is entering his first year of arbitration eligibility and is projected to earn approximately $3.9 million in 2026. The Yankees still control his rights for three more seasons. At 24 years old, he has time to turn things around. But Rodriguez’s critique suggests the fix requires more than just one player getting healthy.
The organization’s hitting philosophy sits at the heart of the problem, according to A-Rod. Until that changes, he believes the Yankees will continue to fall short of their championship goals. Volpe’s struggles are merely the most visible symptom of a deeper disease.
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