CHICAGO — Anthony Volpe finally broke through his hitting struggles Thursday night, but his defensive woes continued in the New York Yankees’ 10-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The Yankees shortstop snapped a brutal 1-for-37 slump with two hits and an RBI, though he also committed his American League-leading 18th error of the season that led to four unearned runs against starter Will Warren.
Anthony Volpe went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the Yankees’ 10-4 win in Chicago, providing a much-needed boost for both the player and the team as they push toward the postseason.
Volpe ends historic slump with multi-hit performance
The 24-year-old entered Thursday’s series opener having endured one of the worst offensive stretches in recent Yankees history. The young shortstop entered Thursday’s series opener against the White Sox 1 for his last 37. That .027 OBP (one hit, no walks) over his last 11 games was the lowest by a Yankee non-pitcher ever (minimum 30 plate appearances).
The skid had become so concerning that manager Aaron Boone benched Volpe for consecutive games over the weekend, marking the first time in his career he was removed from back-to-back lineups.
“Hopefully, something to get him going,” Boone said after the game. “To finish it off with a quality at-bat for a sac fly for the tack-on run, I liked that too. And after the error in the second inning, I thought he made three stellar plays. Good to see him bounce back from that. We need to get him going. Obviously, he’s such an important part of what we do.”
Volpe’s first at-bat saw him reach on a fielding error, but he made the most of it by stealing second base – his first stolen base since August 6 – and scoring on Ben Rice’s single. He then recorded his first hit since last Tuesday with a double down the left-field line in the fourth inning before adding a single through the right side in the sixth.
Defensive miscue costs Yankees early
Despite the offensive breakthrough, Volpe’s defensive struggles persisted. In the bottom of the second inning, he booted a ground ball hit directly at him, allowing the White Sox to load the bases and eventually score four unearned runs against Warren.
The error marked Volpe’s 18th of the season, tied for the most in Major League Baseball. However, he responded positively on defense for the remainder of the game, making several solid plays including a sharp backhanded stop to end the sixth inning.
“He has that trait [of a short memory],” Boone explained. “That’s why I talk about, wiring-wise, he’s made for it. Got to keep playing. I feel like he’s always kind of done that. I think it’s an important trait to have in our business. You better be able to get past some failures or mistakes, or this game will sink you.”
Volpe maintains mental approach during struggles
The shortstop, who had been hearing boos from frustrated Yankees fans during his recent home stand, said he remained committed to his established approach despite the poor results.
“I’m just sticking to my approach and staying on pitches,” Volpe said. “Just contributing and helping the team for a big win.”
“Nothing [has changed],” Volpe said of his approach at the plate. “Sticking to my approach and staying on the pitches.”
Volpe acknowledged the frustration of his recent performance while expressing confidence that he was close to breaking through.
“It’s a balance. It’s obviously frustrating. At the end of the day, you want to get results and help the team. When you’re not doing that, it’s frustrating,” he said. “At the same time, I felt like I was close and in a good spot. I felt like I was taking good swings and putting together pretty good at-bats. It’s just a balance.”
Yankees hope for sustained improvement
Boone was asked if Volpe had changed anything at the plate and the Yankees skipper said he didn’t because he noticed there were good at-bats being had during his slump.
“Going back the last four games, there’s been an at-bat in each game where he hasn’t got rewarded where he squared it up,” Boone said. “But in and around that, he’s had some at-bats that haven’t gone well. Little more consistent, little more disciplined tonight and good to see him get results.”
The performance came at a crucial time for both Volpe and the Yankees. In 132 games this season, he is slashing .207/.271/.397 with an OPS of .668, along with 18 homers and 66 RBI. Those numbers represent a slight regression from his rookie campaign and fall short of expectations for the former first-round draft pick.
Team support for struggling shortstop
Cody Bellinger, who had three hits including a homer in Thursday’s victory, offered perspective on the importance of confidence for struggling players.
“Confidence is huge,” he told YES Network’s Meredit Marakovits on the field after the win. “A lot of balls right at people lately. That’s tough when things aren’t going your way. Credit to him, honestly. He stays locked in, stays positive. He’s a great baseball player. It’s exciting for him, especially today.”
The Yankees will hope Thursday’s performance marks the beginning of a turnaround for Volpe as they continue their postseason push. With three more games remaining in Chicago, the team and its fans will be watching to see if the young shortstop can build on his breakthrough performance.
The victory improved the Yankees’ record and maintained their position in the American League playoff race, with contributions from multiple players including home runs from Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Trent Grisham. But for Volpe, the night represented a potential turning point in what has been a challenging season both offensively and defensively.
