Manager Aaron Boone believes the climb has begun, but the roller coaster where Anthony Volpe reached another valley on the plate has reached another valley.
When he entered play on Friday, he has tended to be more likely to get red hot throughout his major league career, with a cold, cold spurt, 6-43 (.140) with 18 strikeouts in the last 12 games.
He owned 0.908 OPS 12 games for the season, but it fell to .680.
“You’re a good series to get away from going back into it [.800 OPS] The manager said before the Yankees lost 4-2 to the Bronx Blue Jays.
Volpe finished 1-3 with a double and hit the pitch, lining up to the left field, with 102.1 mph jumping into a rather deep center field.
The seventh double that one hops the wall to the right field (then came to Volpe to win the then Game Tyne Grand) was the most obvious sign of progress, but Boone was encouraged all day long.
“He really thought it was good and I realized [his swing during batting practice] It’s just a little more where you need it,” Boone said.
The Yankees needed more from Volpe. Volpe hit the ray with a fastball in the zone and he shook at 32.2% of the heater he saw and entered the missed play.
Boone believed that Volpe knew how he was being attacked and might have added some “tension” to his swing when he tried to dodge with a high fastball.
“It’s just athletic and quick and fast, let the ball do the job,” Boone said before the game. “Maybe I have a little muscle through some swings.”
Volpe took the same approach he took in the impressive postseason last October. Early on, his pop improved (he had four home runs in the first 26 games), but his contact rate fell.
“But he’s walking more and hitting the ball harder,” Boone said. “We’ve reached out a little more, but there’s no reason to think it won’t happen again.”
Boone gave his lineup a new look, hitting Trent Grisham’s leadoff, moving Ben Rice third in order and hitting Cody Bellinger fifth.
Newly active from his father’s list, Grisham played with 0.320 with 1.093 OPS before he went 0-5 with two strikeouts.
The US is now 5 to 1.
Right Yondris Gomez, who the Yankees designated for appointment Tuesday, was allegedly argued from the exemption by the Dodgers.
Aaron Judge (1-4 on the walk) extended his base streak in 22 games.
DJ Lemahieu will be playing at Double-A Somerset on Saturday and Sunday after going 3-5 in the first two games of rehabilitation.
Boone didn’t know how many games and at-bats Remahieu needed before becoming an option.
“After we get through this week, let’s see what we want to do next,” Boone said of Lemahew, who is rehabilitating tension in her left calf.
Jake Cousins threw the bullpen session, the “five or sixth” time off the mound, the right said.
He estimated that it would last about two weeks from graduation to batting practice, with rehabilitation assignments going to last.
He estimated he was ready for “early to mid-June” when he recovered from his flexor strain.
