Yankees make surprising plan for Anthony Volpe amid brutal hitless streak

New York Times

6 hours ago

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees are going to wait until Sunday to give shortstop Anthony Volpe off, even though he'll go into Saturday hitless in his last 24 at-bats.
Manager Aaron Boone made the surprising admission after Volpe went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Boone had been asked whether he thought Volpe could use a day off after struggling again.
Advertisement
'Yeah,' the manager said. 'Probably giving him one this weekend, probably Sunday.'
The decision was surprising because it's rare that managers announce a player's off day two games in advance, and Volpe is in the midst of his biggest struggles of the season.
The Yankees are scheduled to face Orioles starting pitcher Zach Eflin on Saturday. Volpe has a career .333 batting average (6-for-18) with a double against him. The Yankees must like the matchup for Volpe to push off giving him a day to rest.
They will face Dean Kremer on Sunday. Volpe is just 1-for-11 (.091) lifetime against the righty.
Right fielder Aaron Judge said he'd advise Volpe to trust himself amid his skid.
'Keep going,' Judge said he'd tell Volpe. 'You've been there before.'
'I think he knows what he needs to work on, and he's a guy that will definitely outwork anybody in this room. I've got a lot of confidence in him, just like everybody else in this room. Just go out there and do your thing. That's the biggest thing. Don't feel bad for yourself because nobody else — especially the Orioles — (will) feel bad for you. Just keep going out there and doing your thing.'
Volpe's batting average has dropped from .251 to .228 over the span, which includes seven strikeouts and one walk. The 24-year-old's .710 OPS is the worst among qualified Yankees hitters.
'Tough night,' Boone said. 'Tough few games here. Just got to get on time. Hitting, as hard as it is, it's as simple as that sometimes. I feel like he's a little late getting into position. Therefore, you're not firing at your best, and you're not swinging at the pitches exactly how you want in a strong position. Just got to get himself on time and then he'll take off.'
Before the game, Boone said he thought Volpe might have had a mechanical issue at the plate in which he might have been 'getting stuck a little bit,' and it might have been affecting Volpe's swing decisions.
Advertisement
Volpe has played in 74 of the Yankees' 75 games. Only Judge and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt have played in every single game for the Yankees. Volpe hasn't had a day off since May 4 — the final game of a series at the Tampa Bay Rays and a day after he injured his left shoulder diving for a groundball.
Judge went 3-for-4 with a home run and a walk, perhaps the sign of a turnaround after he had been on a 4-for-31 stretch (.129) entering Friday.
Boone said he thought Judge might have made an adjustment at the plate, raising his hands a bit higher than he had previously, and that the difference might have helped him. Boone said it seemed to have helped Judge in 'getting to that really strong position, to now you're getting your good swing off, you're through the zone a lot.'
Judge seems to be holding his hand several inches higher before he swung Friday than he did Thursday.
But Judge didn't get into specifics.
'I'm making adjustments every day,' he said. 'Had a good game, so (Boone) probably noticed a little change. But I make adjustments all the time. … There's so many that I can't narrow one.'
The night bumped Judge's batting average to .371, the best in the majors. He has 27 home runs, second only to Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners.
Aaron Boone said he thought Aaron Judge made an adjustment with his hands going into today.
It would appear they were higher today. First picture is today. Second picture is yesterday. pic.twitter.com/kGkjLT7brX
— Brendan Kuty 🧟‍♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) June 21, 2025
Luke Weaver jogged out of the bullpen toward the mound as Devin Williams began to warm up. The Yankees hoped Weaver would hold a 3-3 tie in the eighth inning and they would use Williams either in the ninth inning with a tied score or if they went ahead.
It didn't work out, as Weaver surrendered a solo shot to Ramón Urias and then gave up another run. Williams stayed in the bullpen. Weaver lasted just 2/3 of an inning, giving up two hits and a walk.
Advertisement
It was Weaver's first appearance after spending three weeks on the injured list with a hamstring strain, and earlier in the day, Boone said Weaver would not simply be given back the closer job he held before the injury. Williams had been pitching well in the role in Weaver's absence, and Boone said the plan was for Weaver and Williams to share the role.
Weaver said he felt fine despite struggling. He wasn't sure if he could blame the poor performance on rust.
'It's hard to tell,' he said. 'The easy answer is probably yes, but no. I felt like my stuff was as good as it's been all year, if not better.'
He added he believed his changeup was moving differently from how it had in the past.
'It was breaking a lot in the dirt,' he said. 'That's what I was struggling with.'