Yankees send struggling shortstop to the bench in favor of utility manCredit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Despite a scintillating start, New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe hasn’t really grown at the plate if we go to the ice-cold numbers. He posted a .666 OPS last year as a rookie, and is at .664 before Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

It’s too bad because he looked like a legitimate breakout star in the first two or three weeks of the 2024 campaign. After that, he has crashed down to earth, and even though his defense and baserunning are both elite, the Yankees need more offense out of him.

According to Talkin’ Yanks, manager Aaron Boone has decided to start someone else in Volpe’s place as the team plays their series opener in Seattle late on Tuesday night.

“Aaron Boone tells us that Oswaldo Cabrera will start at shortstop tonight, with Anthony Volpe getting the night off,” the podcast’s official account on X posted.
Yankees send struggling shortstop to the bench in favor of utility manCredit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Yankees are giving Volpe a breather

Volpe could certainly use a break, and it’s also a good way for the Yankees skipper to keep Cabrera involved. As for the shortstop, he has hit a meager .223/.255/.330 with a .584 OPS in 385 trips to the plate since the start of June.

If it wasn’t for his Gold Glove-caliber defense at a premium position and wheels, plus the fact he remains young and has top prospect pedigree, the Yankees probably would have benched him by now.

To be at their best, the Yankees need Volpe to get going at the plate and start pulling fly balls. His wRC+ of 87 tells the story of a hitter with a lot of room to improve, one that isn’t even a league-average batter.

He has been so good in other facets of the game that his fWAR is a very healthy 3.4. If he could even become a league-average hitter, he could be close to a star but he clearly has work to do.

As things currently stand, he is a liability for the Yankees and remains one of the weakest links in the lineup. If he can rebound to some extent, however, he could make the lineup even deeper and more dangerous.

Volpe, who has played 149 of the Yankees’ 150 games to this point, is expected to be back in the lineup for the next game.