If Joe Maddon steps in as the new manager for the Yankees, it’s likely that Anthony Volpe will find himself back in Triple-A.
“I think it’s worth considering whether he might need to go back,” Maddon remarked during an appearance on MLB Network’s “MLB Now,” adding that Volpe could benefit from a similar experience.
“He has the potential to be a great player in the future, but right now, I feel his confidence is at an all-time low,” Maddon said.
Maddon advocates for the Yankees to look into acquiring a veteran shortstop to help Volpe rebuild his confidence in the minors, suggesting that this could be a temporary yet effective solution.
“Let’s send him down and get things sorted out,” Maddon advised. “He’ll be back before we know it.”
Volpe, now 24, is going through a particularly tough time, struggling both offensively and defensively.
This season, his batting average is just .214, with an OPS of .686, and he has only hit .154 over the last 30 games. Additionally, he has committed 13 errors, placing him among the leaders in that category.
Despite being in his third year as the Yankees’ everyday shortstop, the idea of a minor league stint seems quite drastic at this point.
Maddon, who previously managed the Rays, Cubs, and Angels, doubled down on his perspective when host Brian Kenny raised concerns about Volpe’s situation.
“[Francisco] Alvarez made it work with the Mets and returned a better player,” Maddon pointed out.
Kenny questioned whether such a drastic measure was really necessary, saying he felt uneasy about it.
“I see him making mistakes he shouldn’t be making,” Maddon observed. “It seems like he could really use a mental reset—slow everything down, get back to basics, and in the meantime, have someone else handle the ball.”
At 71, Maddon has had quite the career, managing the Angels to a World Series win in 2002 and taking the Cubs to their victory in 2016, earning Manager of the Year honors three times (2008, 2011, 2015).
He also expressed that he wouldn’t be overly concerned about any potential damage to Volpe’s confidence by sending him down at this point.
“We seem to be overly sensitive these days,” Maddon commented. “It’s indicative of a time when there’s too much focus on protecting feelings.”
