Chicago — New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave his most forceful defense yet of Anthony Volpe on Thursday, shutting down any talk of sending the young shortstop to Triple-A.
Before the series opener against the Chicago White Sox, Boone pushed back when asked if a demotion was possible. His sharp reply showed just how firmly the Yankees are standing behind their 24-year-old infielder.
“Now, obviously, he’s had a 10-day stretch here where he’s gone from over a .700 OPS four months into the year to below,” Boone told The Athletic. “We want to send that guy down? What planet does that guy get sent down that’s a shortstop? I don’t know that planet.”
The exchange came as Volpe endured a difficult run at the plate. Entering Thursday, he had just one hit in his last 37 at-bats. From August 15 until Wednesday, he had more errors than hits. Fans at Yankee Stadium voiced their frustration with constant boos during his slump.
Volpe answered that night with a 2-for-3 showing in New York’s 10-4 win over Chicago. Still, he carried the league’s lowest on-base percentage and the second-worst batting average among qualified hitters into the game.
Manager lashes out at Volpe critics
Despite growing outside pressure, Boone said demotion was never a subject of internal talks.
“First of all, he’s a more productive offensive player than he gets credit for,” Boone said. “We just hammer the struggles, because, on some level, there were people that anointed him and expected so much.”
Boone admitted Volpe has not lived up to offensive expectations and has shown defensive lapses. But he stressed that Volpe is still “a frontline defensive player at a premium position that is offensively somewhat productive.”
The manager added that Volpe’s mental toughness makes him capable of pushing through struggles without a minor league reset.
“I think we’ll get him through this,” Boone said. “I don’t think he should be sent down. I think mentally and emotionally, he’s so much better equipped to handle this than people might imagine.”
Volpe’s season by the numbers
The numbers show just how tough 2025 has been for Volpe. He is batting .207 and leads all shortstops with errors. On Thursday, he broke his 1for-37 slump but added his 18th error. His defensive ratings have slipped since his Gold Glove rookie season in 2023.
At his best on June 11, he had a .776 OPS and a 114 wRC+, which ranked him 14 percent better than the average MLB hitter. Since June 12, only Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz has produced worse numbers among qualified players.
Volpe’s wRC+ now places him among the 10 weakest hitters in baseball. His 18 errors are second only to Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz.
Recent benching provides brief respite
Earlier this week, the Yankees sat Volpe for two straight games. Boone called it a “reset” rather than a punishment. Hitting coach James Rowson said there were no mechanical changes made during that break.
“It’s obviously frustrating because you want to get results and help the team,” Volpe said Thursday. “When you’re not doing that, it’s frustrating. At the same time, I felt it was close and in a good spot.”
He added that he believed his at-bats and swing quality were trending upward even without results.
Alternative options remain unused
The Yankees added Jose Caballero at the trade deadline, giving Boone another shortstop option. Caballero has posted stronger numbers than Volpe across several categories.
Still, Boone views him as a utility piece, not a full-time replacement. Caballero has mainly appeared as a defensive substitute in right field.
“I have another good player sitting there,” Boone said. “I have a guy I could put in there who’s a really good player that’s different than I’ve had.”
Even so, Boone said his preference is to keep Volpe in the lineup rather than make a permanent switch.
Organization maintains long-term view
The Yankees remain committed to their 2019 first-round pick. The New Jersey native has been a central piece of the team’s development plans.
Volpe captured a Gold Glove in 2023 and was a finalist again in 2024. His pedigree as a top prospect and his defensive ability weigh heavily in the Yankees’ decision-making.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing every now and then when you are scuffling to sit over here and watch it from a different angle,” Boone said of Volpe’s brief benching. “That’s what it was. It wasn’t this big mental blow that I felt like (Volpe) needed.”
With about 30 games left in the regular season, Boone’s strong defense of Volpe showed that organizational patience remains intact. Unless something changes dramatically, Volpe will continue as the starting shortstop through the final push.
Many argue the team needs immediate production rather than long-term patience. But the shortstop remains a key part of the defensive core, and Boone’s support signals that he is not going anywhere.
Whether that faith pays off could shape both Volpe’s career path and the Yankees’ postseason fate.
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