Anthony Volpe earned a Gold Glove in his rookie campaign in 2023, when he led all American League shortstops with 2.4 defensive wins above replacement. It looked like the New Jersey native would be a defensive leader for the Yankees for years to come.
But he has endured large struggles in his third big league season.
The 24-year-old leads New York with 11 errors, which ranks atop all AL shortstops. He’s also recorded the worst fielding percentage among AL players at his position and boasts just two defensive runs saved. Volpe’s season-long woes were exacerbated during a disastrous sixth inning of Monday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“I feel like I put myself in very good positions for a lot of plays. And I think you look at a case-by-case basis,” Volpe said. “There’s obviously a lot of plays you want to have back, and then there’s some plays that you’re going to be aggressive.”
The Yankees entered the sixth up 3-1. Starter Carlos Rodón allowed a double to begin the inning before righty Mark Leiter Jr. replaced him. Then, Myles Straw hit a groundball in the hole that Volpe dove on the outfield grass to reach — range is still a strong component of his fielding — before firing an errant throw past third.
Volpe had no chance to throw out the speedy Straw and couldn’t get the runner at third, even with a perfect throw. But his error allowed Straw to advance to second base, giving Toronto second and third with nobody out.
Ernie Clement, one of the Blue Jays’ fastest players, batted later in the inning with runners on second and third and one out. Clement grounded a ball to Volpe in the hole, who backhanded it and threw off-balance. Volpe’s toss was nowhere close to getting Clement and the runner on second advanced to third.
“You gotta make a play on that ball,” Volpe said.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged it was a play that a shortstop would typically try to make. He was also realistic about Volpe’s chances.
“[He wouldn’t have gotten Clement] with as well as he gets down the line,” Boone said. “My vantage point, I felt like he wasn’t going to have a play.”
Both runners in scoring position came home in the inning, giving Toronto a lead it never relinquished. Volpe was far from the only issue in the inning — New York also suffered from catcher interference and a wild pitch — but his questionable decisions loomed large.
Volpe hasn’t been the star fielder many thought he would be for the Yankees this year. For a player whose career batting average is .228, his defense over the rest of the season could largely determine his value.
