Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe is facing criticism after committing his 17th error in a recent loss to the Boston Red Sox. The 24-year-old infielder’s mistake came on the heels of a 12-1 beating, which marked the Yankees’ third loss in the series. This latest error has sparked debate about Volpe’s performance and whether he is truly living up to his team’s expectations.
Volpe’s struggles have led to concerns about the team’s defense, particularly at shortstop. The Yankees have relied on their young infielder to make crucial plays, but he has made several mistakes in recent games. Manager Aaron Boone has been criticized for defending Volpe, despite his own defensive shortcomings.
Despite the criticism, Boone defended Volpe, citing that the error was a “bad throw” and not communicating well with new player Benny on the 3-2 count. However, fans are taking a closer look at Volpe’s overall performance this season, which has been mediocre at best. His batting average is .042 in his last seven games, and his season numbers are only slightly better.
Some have pointed back to a statement made by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman earlier in the year, where he claimed that Volpe’s best baseball was yet to come. However, with several games left in the season, it remains to be seen whether Volpe will live up to this promise.
The latest loss has also highlighted other issues with the team, such as their lack of run support for starting pitcher Max Fried. The Yankees are 1-8 against the Red Sox this season and are now 1.5 games behind them in the AL East standings.
As the series comes to a close, the Yankees will need to regroup and find ways to overcome their defensive shortcomings if they want to avoid a four-game sweep.
Source: https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/news/new-york-yankees-anthony-volpe-fire-latest-error