GIVE IT A REST BOONE, IT'S TIME TO BENCH VOLPE

Let's talk about Anthony Volpe. Or more specifically, let's talk about what Anthony Volpe has not done since the Yankees brought him back from Triple-A Scranton on May 13th, because that list is considerably longer and far more interesting.

When José Caballero fractured his finger diving back to first base against the Brewers, the Yankees had no choice but to recall their former crown jewel shortstop. Why? Because Boone missed him. Caballero had been outstanding before the injury — hitting .259 with 4 home runs, a .720 OPS and 13 stolen bases in 41 games — and losing him stung. But fine, you plug the hole with the best available option, and Volpe was it according to the Yankees. I could have made an argument that you didn't need him at all, but here we are. 

And so Volpe flew into Camden Yards, got his name in the lineup for the May 13th series finale against the Orioles, and promptly went 0-for-3 with a fielding error in a 7-0 blowout loss. Not exactly the triumphant return anyone had penciled in.

After the day off May 14th, things did not improve from there. Over the next two games against the Mets in the opening weekend of the Subway Series, Volpe went 0-for-1 on Friday and 0-for-2 on Saturday. That's eleven at-bats since his recall. Zero hits. A batting average so low it would need a ladder just to reach the Mendoza Line. But Volpe walked 5 times. That's something right? Well, not really. I'll tell you why in a minute.

Now, Aaron Boone will tell you — and you can already hear him saying it in that calm, measured, Aaron Boone way of his — that Volpe has actually been seeing the ball well. That he's been patient. That the walks are a good sign. And look, technically, he's not wrong. Volpe drew three walks on Friday alone, and two more on Saturday, giving him five free passes in three games. For a guy who came up to the majors and spent the better part of two seasons hacking at anything that moved, plate discipline is growth. It's progress. It's something.

It's just that it means absolutely nothing if you never score. See what I mean?

Every single one of those five walks died a quiet death on the basepaths. On Friday in the third inning, Volpe walked to load the bases and Aaron Judge flew out to end the threat. He walked again in the fifth — stranded. Walked again in the seventh — stranded. On Saturday he walked with runners on and Austin Wells struck out to kill the inning. Then in the seventh, with the bases loaded and a chance to at least be a factor in a rally, Volpe grounded into a force out to end the inning entirely. Five walks, five dead ends, zero runs scored. He's been getting on base like a man who keeps boarding a train that never leaves the station, like his career.

The error on May 13th feels important to mention again, because it really did set the tone for this entire stretch. First game of the season, first opportunity to remind people why they once talked about this kid like he was Derek Jeter's spiritual successor, and he boots one in the field. The Yankees lost by seven. It was the kind of debut that makes you wince even if you like the guy. Volpe has been quoted as saying "I can't control what I can't control." But wait a minute little boy, you are back in the major leagues... YOU CAN CONTROL YOU DESTINY! YOU HAVE TO HIT! The dude's like a 5-year-old, was he ever media trained?

And Boone does like the guy. That much is obvious. There's a loyalty there that goes beyond the practical, it's creepy weird. The kind of managerial attachment that makes a skipper keep running a struggling player out there long past the point where the numbers justify it.

So look, here's the reality of what Volpe's 2026 has looked like: he started the year on the injured list recovering from shoulder surgery, did a rehab stint in Double-A Somerset, got sent to Triple-A, and then back to Double-A and then got yanked back to the big leagues because someone got hurt. That is not an ideal rehab runway for any player, let alone one who struggled as badly as Volpe did in 2025, when he hit .212 in 153 games and led the American League in errors with 19. The offensive questions that followed him into this offseason have not gone away. Trust you, I will remind you every day... and I will ride this kid until he's a backup 2nd baseman on the Reds. If anything, the first three games of his 2026 season have underlined them in red ink.

Zero hits. Zero runs scored. One error. Five walks that amounted to nothing. The Yankees went 2-6 on their road trip and hit a miserable 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position during the Mets series. Volpe didn't cause all of that, but he certainly didn't help. At some point, plate discipline without production is just a polite way of saying you're not doing any damage — and right now, Anthony Volpe is the least damaging baserunner in pinstripes.

Aaron Boone can talk about walks and process all he wants. The scoreboard doesn't grade on a curve, and we just broke down his performance, and it ain't good.

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