Yankees putting their faith in Anthony Volpe as errors mount

The Yankees are going to ride it out with Anthony Volpe. 

As the errors pile up, manager Aaron Boone continues to write his name into the starting lineup, opting against giving him a break, despite the uptick in mistakes that have been followed by boos from the Stadium crowd. 

“I have not wanted to do that or decided to do that,” manager Aaron Boone said prior to Wednesday night’s game against the Rays in The Bronx. “Clearly, he’s gone through some struggles here in some key moments, not made some plays. I think Anthony’s super tough, and I think he’s wired for this.” 

A Gold Glover in 2023, Volpe committed two errors in Tuesday night’s win over the Rays, including a bounced throw that extended the game in the ninth inning.

His other error — on a botched flip to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. — led to a pair of first-inning runs.

He now has 15 errors, tied with Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz for the most in baseball. His .959 fielding percentage is the lowest of his three-year career. 

Boone recalled his own struggles as a fielder back in college at USC as a sophomore. He committed 18 errors in his first 18 games.

The point of bringing it up was that he got through it. Just like hitters suffer through slumps, so do fielders. 

“It happens even with really good players on that side of the ball,” the manager said. “My message to him is: You’re really good at this, and that’s reality. He’s a Gold Glove player. He makes plays that people can’t make. He’s a playmaker out there. He’s made some mistakes on some balls he needs to nail down, but it happens to guys at different points in their career. 

“I feel like his mental toughness and his wiring will get him through this, and we’ll all work right there with him to get through it, too. I believe his best days are in front of him, this year and beyond.” 

Yankees infield coach Travis Chapman doesn’t see anything different in how Volpe is preparing for games.

He’s still putting in plenty of extra work, trying his best to snap out of his defensive funk.

The two have been working more of late on basics, like footwork and game situations. 

“The reality is he works harder than pretty much everybody else, and he’s a great shortstop,” Chapman said. 

The biggest question is the mental aspect of this. Has it gotten into Volpe’s head? He is clearly overthinking certain plays, hesitating before making throws. Boone suggested it probably has to an extent. 

“I don’t think as much as you might think, but yeah, when you’re not making plays that you’re accustomed to making, that you make all the time,” Boone said. “I think he handles it very well. His answers to you [guys] are very real. But he knows he hasn’t made plays he needs to make. So there’s an element of that. But, again, I think he’s wired for it and mentally tough enough to get through it.” 

His night at the plate Tuesday would seem to back that up. Volpe homered and drove in two runs.

But Yankees fans still let Volpe, a homegrown shortstop from New Jersey, have it after his defensive miscues. Boone doesn’t believe the negativity has impacted him. 

“You play this game and you play it well enough and long enough, you’re going to have your moments,” Boone said. “In 2003, when I got traded here at the deadline, my first home series, Mariano Rivera was getting booed after he blew a few saves. I was taken aback by it as a new player, but it’s part of it. It’s part of the navigating of a big league career, especially a big league career in a big market in New York.” 

He added: “I think he’ll get through to the other side.”