Volpe’s Resurgence Sparks Hopes for Yankees
Anthony Volpe’s season—and really, his entire career so far—seems to hinge on a streak that’s lingered longer than even the hottest of runs.
Maybe the last week and a half is just a brief flurry of good fortune, juxtaposed against some harsh realities.
Yet, the Yankees shortstop has looked like his best self lately, regaining the confidence that had seemed elusive while he dealt with lingering effects from a cortisone injection in his left shoulder to alleviate partially torn ligaments.
Just prior to him missing nearly a week of play while recovering—he was either unavailable or limited for four games, and sat in favor of Jose Caballero in another—it was debated whether Caballero might take over as the starting shortstop.
Volpe had been struggling significantly at the plate and in the field, and it seemed like he was nearing a breaking point.
However, after receiving some much-needed physical relief from the shoulder issue he had been battling since May, he turned things around. In the nine games before Friday, he was hitting .313 (10-32) with a .759 OPS and playing solid defense.
“I feel like I can go out and play and do what I’m trying to do,” Volpe shared following a game where he went 1-for-4 in an 8-4 victory over the Orioles. “We’re here for hours before the game. You can pretty much test and see where you’re at every day. It feels good to feel like you’re all moving forward into the game rather than doing something that doesn’t necessarily help.”
Volpe started with his seventh appearance in the last eight games and his eighth at shortstop in the last ten, quieting some of the surrounding chatter—at least for now.
“I think he’s playing well,” manager Aaron Boone remarked. “He seems to have settled down over the last month or so. He’s playing aggressively, attacking the ball, and feels like he’s in a good spot—like the Anthony we know.”
Boone further added that Volpe’s competitive spirit at the plate has re-emerged, even if he hadn’t hit particularly well in one game recently. There’s a sense that he’s brought a notable presence to the lineup’s lower order.
The Yankees see Volpe as essential to their overall success, envisioning him thriving both defensively and offensively.
If he can keep up this level of performance, it could bode well as they move toward the postseason.
“We had to go out there and continue doing it,” Boone emphasized. “I have a lot of confidence in him now. He’s a vital part of our success as we move forward.”
Reflecting on his struggles this season, Volpe noted that things feel markedly different. “You’re very present in that moment… At the same time, you feel where you are and like you’re heading in the right direction. You feel better at the right time,” he commented, hinting at a mental reset alongside his physical recovery.
