Anthony Volpe remains a central figure for the New York Yankees as he navigates both increased attention and scrutiny during the 2025 season. With Aaron Judge sidelined due to a flexor strain, Volpe’s performance at shortstop has become a topic of conversation among fans and commentators.
Volpe’s fielding has come under criticism, particularly following the recent four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays where his defensive errors were noticeable despite the Yankees winning three out of four games. In response, the team acquired Amed Rosario and Jose Caballero at the trade deadline to provide additional depth in the infield.
Despite these challenges, Volpe has shown improvement at the plate. Through Friday night’s 13-12 loss to the Miami Marlins, he had hit seven home runs in his last 13 games. On Friday, Volpe recorded his 17th home run of the season along with four hits, two RBIs, three runs scored, and no errors defensively. His offensive surge puts him among league leaders for shortstops in home runs this year; only Francisco Lindor and Elly De La Cruz have more.
Comparisons between Volpe and Lindor are frequent since both play in New York. As of Friday, Lindor had 20 home runs and 59 RBIs while Volpe had 17 homers and 60 RBIs. However, Volpe leads all MLB shortstops with 16 errors so far this season—a statistic that draws further comparison to Derek Jeter who exceeded that total only four times over his career.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone continues to support Volpe through his struggles: “Now he’s starting to see some results,” Boone said after Volpe’s strong performance on Friday night. Boone added earlier in the week: “I think his best days are in front of him, this year and beyond.”
Boone also acknowledged areas needing improvement: “Clearly, he’s gone through some struggles here and in some key moments not made some plays. I think Anthony’s super tough, and I think he’s wired for this. We think of slumps or struggles more [on offense], it happens with even really good players on that side of the ball.”
Support for Volpe extends beyond management. Michael Kay, Yankees play-by-play announcer on YES Network stated: “He’s not just a good kid,” Kay said recently. “He’s a great kid.”
Volpe addressed his own difficulties by saying: “It’s honestly frustrating but not discouraging, and I know the standard I have for myself. I’m just going to keep pushing until I prove it to myself.”
Currently batting .223 with an on-base percentage of .291—figures consistent with previous seasons—Volpe is posting career highs in slugging percentage (.427) and OPS (.718).
As questions persist about his future at shortstop amid ongoing errors—and occasional boos from fans—both Volpe and team leadership remain focused on improvement moving forward.
