Yankees: Insiders compare Anthony Volpe and Cody Bellinger’s early-season struggles

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Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays was postponed due to rain, giving the New York Yankees a rare midseason breather before Sunday’s doubleheader. The timing could not be better for a team looking to reset — especially for shortstop Anthony Volpe, who has been under heavy scrutiny during a rocky start to the 2025 season.

Volpe’s production takes a step back

The Yankees’ offense has been among the best in the league, but Volpe has struggled to keep pace. After 26 games, the 23-year-old is slashing .202/.303/.394 with four home runs and 15 RBI — a sharp contrast to the team’s early offensive explosion.

Coming into the season, there was optimism that Volpe would continue building on the gains he made last year, when he slashed .243/.293/.364 with 12 home runs and 60 RBI. Although his power numbers dipped from his rookie year — when he hit 21 home runs in 2023 — his improved batting average suggested real progress.

Now, however, Volpe appears to be regressing toward his rookie slash line of .209/.283/.383, raising concerns both inside and outside the organization.

Insiders raise concerns about Volpe — and Bellinger

New York sports media hasn’t pulled any punches. WFAN’s Brandon Tierney said Friday the Yankees have an “Anthony Vople” problem, criticizing the shortstop’s stagnant development. “It is year three. It is almost May. He is hitting .198, after hitting .209 in his first year and .243 in his second year, which, at this point, feels like Wade Boggs,” Tierney said, in comments collected by Pro Football Network. “Volpe has, quite frankly, just not earned the right to play every night.”

The shot at Boggs — a Hall of Famer who carried a career .328 batting average but limited home run power — emphasized how Volpe is neither hitting for average nor providing enough pop to offset it.

Meanwhile, insiders have also been discussing Cody Bellinger’s early struggles with the Chicago Cubs, drawing some parallels to Volpe’s situation. Bellinger, a former MVP, has had a sluggish start to the season, and the chatter surrounding both players reflects how quickly expectations can turn into pressure in a market like New York — or for any player who carries major-league hardware or high hopes.

While Bellinger’s past accolades buy him a longer leash, Volpe’s relatively short résumé leaves him more exposed to criticism when production dips. The situations are not identical, but the conversations about both players reflect the growing impatience among fans and media when players don’t meet expectations.

What can the Yankees do with Volpe?

Despite the offensive slump, Volpe remains a critical part of the Yankees’ defense. He’s coming off a Gold Glove season and brings speed on the bases — two factors that complicate the decision-making process.

There have been suggestions, including from Joel Sherman of the New York Post, that Volpe might benefit from a stint in Triple-A to reset mentally and mechanically. However, manager Aaron Boone continues to express public support, signaling the organization’s intention to let Volpe work through his struggles at the major-league level.

At this point, the Yankees have several options: they can ride it out, tweak Volpe’s swing mechanics, give him a day or two off to reset mentally, or explore more unconventional solutions. Sending him down remains a long shot for now.

It’s easy to forget that the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint. With 162 games to play, early slumps can often give way to strong finishes. For Volpe, finding his rhythm at the plate would silence the growing criticism and restore some of the optimism that surrounded him heading into 2025.

For now, though, the rainout offers Volpe and the Yankees a small but valuable window to regroup before facing a pivotal doubleheader against Toronto. Whether this pause leads to a turning point remains to be seen — but the spotlight on Volpe isn’t going anywhere.

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