Yankees' Anthony Volpe Pushes OPS Past This $365 Million MVP With One Big Game

Newsweek

4 days ago

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New York Yankees fans have had their knives out for their team's struggling young shortstop, Anthony Volpe, for much of this season. Looking at the 24-year-old former first-round draft pick's numbers, it's apparent why.
Prior to last weekend's three-game series in Atlanta against the Braves, Volpe was barely hitting (.214 batting average), or even walking to make up for his lack of hits (.287 on-base percentage). He struck out at a high rate (91 strikeouts in 341 at bats, or once every 3.7 at-bats) — and to make his lack of offense even less acceptable, he made a league-leading 11 errors in the field.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 19: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a two-run homer in the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 19, 2025 in...
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 19: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees reacts after hitting a two-run homer in the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. More
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
But Yankees fans can take some small consolation in knowing that, at least for one day, Volpe moved past one of the MLB's biggest stars, whose team is paying him $365 million over 12 years, in one important offensive statistic.
Volpe had what the Yankees hope would be a breakout game on Saturday when, in what may turn out to be one of New York's most important wins of the season, he recorded the first multi-homer game his career. His two blasts propelled the Bronx Bombers to a dramatic comeback from a five-run deficit to beat Atlanta 12-9.
With that one big game, and his one-for-four performance Sunday, Volpe raised his OPS to .686.
Now, that's not a very good number. It ranks Volpe 131st among all qualified MLB players (to qualify a hitter must have at least 3.1 at bats for every game played by his team).
More MLB: Yankees Draft Picks Turn Heads as Anthony Volpe Sees Career Crater
Nonetheless, for at least one 24-hour period, Volpe could boast a better OPS than the Los Angeles Dodgers' eight-time All-Star Mookie Betts, who is also a former MVP. Betts won the American League award in 2018 with the Boston Red Sox.
Betts is playing the fifth season of his dozen-year deal with the Dodgers, who acquired him from the Red Sox after the 2019 campaign in a trade for three prospects, only one of whom, catcher Connor Wong, remains in Boston.
Despite making a salary of $26.2 million this year — nearly 30 times the sum that Volpe, at $879,000, will be paid — Betts has been stuck in a season-long slump that sees his OPS at a career low .684.
As if two underline his futility, Betts softly lined out with the bases loaded and the Dodgers down by a run to end Sunday's 6-5 home loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
MOOKIE BETTS WALK OFF GRAND SLAM!! pic.twitter.com/6JKFs0T2ug — taylor (@yastrzemskiszn) July 20, 2025
His OPS ranks Betts one step behind Volpe, 132nd in the majors.
Betts' slump has been so bad that despite the outfielder-turned infielder ranking behind only Shohei Ohtani as the Dodgers' highest-paid hitter, manager Dave Roberts benched the superstar for Saturday's game — only to bring him back the next day and watch the 32-year-old 12-year veteran go 1-for-5.
Betts has not homered since July 5, giving him 11 on the year, which is also fewer than Volpe. With his pair on Saturday, the Yankees shortstop has 12 round-trippers.
Volpe also leads Betts in RBI (53 to 45) and stolen bases (10 to six).
More MLB: Yankees' Anthony Volpe Enters 'Death Spiral' as Offense Collapses