It’s been an up-and-down rookie season for Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, who made the Opening Day roster and has stuck as the club’s everyday shortstop despite offensive struggles. Overall, he’s slashed .207/.283/.383 in 587 plate appearances this year while manning shortstop in 153 of the club’s games so far this year. Defensive metrics disagree on his glovework this year, with Statcast’s Fielding Run Value placing Volpe tenth among fifteen shortstops with at least 1,000 innings of work with a +1 figure, while Fielding Bible’s Defensive Runs Saved places him behind only Dansby Swanson in that same group.
According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Yankees are pondering Volpe’s role headed into the 2024 season thanks to Oswald Peraza, who scouting reports typically grade as the superior defensive shortstop of the two, with Martino suggesting the club’s best defensive alignment involves Volpe at second base with Peraza at shortstop. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to such a change would be Gleyber Torres, the club’s incumbent second baseman. Torres has no defensive experience outside of the middle infield, but has been the club’s best hitter in 2023 this side of Aaron Judge with a solid .272/.345/.455 slash line.
Given Torres’s importance to the club this year, it’s hard to imagine the Yankees displacing him to accommodate Peraza, who has yet to establish himself with the bat in the majors. After all, Peraza has slashed just .194/.275/.275 in 178 trips to the plate in the majors this year, though his .268/.357/.479 slash line in 300 Triple-A plate appearances this year could indicate another level to the 23-year-old youngster’s game.
More from around the AL East…
- Prior to today’s game in Baltimore, the Red Sox placed veteran right-hander Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list with a viral infection. Right-hander Nick Robertson was recalled in a corresponding move. The move closes the book on what has been a sensational season for Martin after he signed with the Red Sox on a two-year, $17.5MM deal this past offseason. In 51 1/3 innings of work this year, Martin sports an astonishing 1.05 ERA that leads the majors among pitchers with at least 30 innings of work, just barely edging out Josh Hader’s 1.16 figure. Martin figures to be a key piece of the Boston bullpen headed into the 2024 campaign.
- The Rays received good news yesterday regarding center fielder Jose Siri, according to MLB.com. Siri, who suffered a fractured right hand after being hit by a pitch earlier this month, underwent imaging earlier this week and received encouraging results, with manager Kevin Cash indicating that Siri could resume baseball activities as soon as today in an effort to return to the club this postseason. Siri has combined excellent outfield defense with a solid bat this season, slashing .222/.267/.494 with 25 home runs in 364 trips to the plate.
Volpe is staying at SS.
You do realize the best position for Volpe is 2nd base right?
Ok that might be obvious in a vacuum but where does everyone else go? Gleyber is fine and Peraza’s bat is unacceptable so.. seems likely to me (total Yankees outsider) they will sit tight w Volpe at SS at least going into spring 2024.
Door, meet butt.
Gleyber is fed up playing for the mess that’s the Yankees.
He’s a perfect fit for Seattle. The Yankees can get some pitching back.
And Vilpe’s bat is acceptable????? Lmfao. It’s with that thinking the Yankees finished where they are. Oh and a big toe because someone doesn’t know how to field around a fence in the outfield!
Peraza is likely the best defensive SS in the league if he played regularly. If they plan to make Peraza a regular, he should be at SS and Volpe at 2B. That would be a gold glove-level duo for a decade.
So have Peraza play 3B for ’24 bc Gleyber ain’t moving in his walk year. Shift them both in ’25. Gleyber can resign or get extended under the condition that he plays a defensively-average or worse 3B.
Definitely don’t want Gleyber at 3B.
Too costly for good pitching.
Yankees don’t need to extend gleyber IMO. Long contracts for aging players are why they’re in this mess. They have a whole season to look for better options. They could even trade gleyber come trade deadline to for a decent younger corner inf (Provided he does well)
Gleyber is 27 next season. I’m not advocating for a Gleyber extension either unless he accepts a below market deal.
Why in the world would you either want to trade Gleybor or think he would take a below market deal? He more likely CAN’T or WON’T be demanding a 10 year deal. He can probably be had for 7/$210 mil. That’s ages 28-34. I’ll take that
I feel like Peraza needs to prove the bat before he starts displacing guys. If he does, just move Gleyber to 3rd and have DJ be the utility guy who plays almost everyday or even fills in at first if Rizzo doesn’t come back well
100%. I’m not a Yankees fan but Peraza cannot be an everyday player swinging a wet noodle like that. I dont care how good the D is, right now he’s a 2nd division player. No offense but all these Yankees fans clamoring for a dude who cannot hit to be the starting shortstop of the NEW YORK YANKEES is just kinda sad. He’ll get a shot in spring ball to show out tho.
if you could magically restart the season and give volpe’s 587 plate appearances to peraza i believe the team would be better. yankee team policy dictates that left field is a dumpster fire so maybe just throw gleyber out there and move volpe to second
He’s been swinging the bat very well the last few weeks
I think in time he will be a better hitter than volpe. Has a better swing, stronger, just needs some confidence.
You do realize Volpe swings a “wet noodle” now???? Volpe had his chance the whole year. Time to see what Perasa and his superior defense has. And these are the same fans that want Boone and Cashman gone????? Hard for them to work with the same garbage lineup every year if people think Volpe’s offense is acceptable.
You mean prove he can hit more than .207?
Pereza should be at SS however Volpe will probably get the Jeter treatment. ARod was the better SS but Yankees refused to move Jeter. Torres needs to be traded. I don’t see him putting the team first. Yankees even have Sweeney in the Minors who could be a better SS than Volpe or Sweeney could be the future third baseman. Yankees are too right-handed dominant and need more lefthanded players to balance that lineup from top to bottom.
The lst mistake your making is using Jeter and Volpe in the same sentence, they are both different type of players. Jeter is a hall of fame shortstop, Volpe would be best suited for 2nd base. I would assume the Yankees will entertain offers on Gleyber in the off-season, moving Volpe over to 2nd base and Peraza to shortstop, where they both belong on a permanent basis. Trey Sweeney will likely be a 3rd basemen or lst basemen in the major leagues, he will likely replace Anthony Rizzo eventually.
@nyyfan
To try to resolve their ‘right hand dominance’ in their lineup, Cashman should give the Cubs a call. I would bet Ian Happ could be available since the development of young Cub OFers seems to be ahead of schedule. That and Mike Tauchman hopefully can continue to fill a role in the Cubs OF until PCA or Owen Caissie or Alex Canario join the group. Also eliminating Happs salary would free up money to try to get Bellinger back aboard.
Peraza can’t hit himself out a paperbag right now and the Yankees have enough trouble scoring you can’t trade Torres. Yankees need to go offense in it’s deals, maybe use Volpe or Peraza for a bat. Everyone scores a ton in the ALE, Yankees have pitching. That stretch where Judge was out hurt and they couldn’t score on anyone is why they aren’t in the playoffs or at least battling Toronto, Seattle, and Houston for the last spots.
Anyone ever think Volpe at 3B? He can move to his left better than to his extreme right. Does have the skill to guard the line. Personally I’d trade Volpe. Arias is the future SS beyond Peraza and the height of Volpe’s value may never be higher.
You can’t tell anyone that OF Periera,Volpe & 2 young pitchers wouldn’t get Trout.
Pereira, Volpe and two young pitchers might get you Trout. But why?
Young pitchers like Warren will be the key to a future turnaround. Only a moron — like the guy who traded Medina, Sears and Waldichuk. — would even consider such a pig headed move.
Plus, what moron would consider trading for a fading Mike Trout? Chronic back issue, propensity for getting hurt, and a salary even higher annually and for more guaranteed years than Stanton. Trout’s contract is like Stanton’s on steroids. Utter madness.
None of Medina, Sears, or Waldichuk are very good. Not that big of a loss as it seemed. So far anyway.
You can’t tell anyone that OF Periera,Volpe & 2 young pitchers wouldn’t get Trout.
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The NYY wouldn’t trade Volpe for Trout, let alone that package.
Thank God they didn’t block Volpe with free agent all stars at any position! Imagine passing on a SS to sign a 3rd baseman and then having Volpe end up at Third. That would have been embarrassing.
Volpe is going to have to make some changes. He is supposed to have good bat to ball skills and can hit to all fields. All I have seen is someone who swings out of his shoes on any pitch remotely near the strike zone. He is like a less talented Gleyber Torres when Torres thought he was a power bat after he hit all those homers with the juiced ball.
Thank you, his swing is just awful. I felt like I was the only one who could see it
Did they fire Cashman yet?
Isn’t Cashman the one who refused to include Volpe in the Castillo trade and Cincy then went to Seattle? Bet he’d like a do over
Seattle wanted Volpe, Peraza, and Dominguez for Castillo.
Volpe can’t play 3b with his arm
.222/.267,is considered a “solid bat”? I get the power and defense, but…
I’m not particularly fond of the wording the author chose to use, but he’s a decent all-around package at CF for Tampa Bay. His glove has been missed during his IL stint.
Yeah, I thought the same. .267 OBP is extremely rough.
Power, Speed, Defense. No contact skills; but you can do worse for a bottom of the order hitter.
Yankees cannot be playoff competitive without being able to put some runs on the board, and while carrying a defense-first SS is ok, the overall production this year outside of Judge and Torres ranges from subpar to awful. Two players with OPS+ of 100 of more….just two. Terrible, has to be fixed
SS isn’t the position to skimp on defense though.
They need to get more production out of the corners . 1B, 3B, LF. All need help. Not sure Stanton is a guy you want to pencil in at DH anymore either.
Get some offense from those spots and have Peraza play SS. Team will be much better for it.
The biggest problem the Yankees have is the whole team hit below league average except for Torres and Judge. That creates a poor run differential! I like both Volpe and Perazza but they both have been below average to this point. You can’t win with a team of guys who are hitting around the Mendoza line.
The Yankees are going to have to come up with long-term a comprehensive plan.
Anyone thinking that figuring out 2B and SS in the 2023-24 offseason is going to change the direction that ML team is moving in…..
Couldn’t Volpe slide over to 3B? Yankees could use one of those also.
He has a weak arm
It’s a good thing the Yankees passed on the lefty bat of Corey Seager for the kids. Definitely worth it
Martin a key piece of the 2024 bullpen? Not with Cora’s newfound love, Mauricio Llovera around. Llovera is the new Hansel Robles, who was the new Phillips Valdez.
1-Volpe needed more AAA to work on his hitting. He had a 30/8 K/W in AAA, and that followed him to the Yankees. And he only had 89 ABs in AAA, so there was no need to rush him.
2-They should start Peraza at SS, Volpe at 2nd, and trade Torres (for a 3B if available). Torres is good, but not great, is getting a bit expensive, and is unlikely to be part of the l/t plan. Pereza has hit in the minors. They can’t get scared by his lack of success in the pros. And they need to give up on Volpe being the next Jeter. I think he’s going to be real good, but they shouldn’t force him into SS ahead of Peraza.
3-If they cannot trade for a 3B using Torres, they should consider signing Chapman.
4-They need to sign a guy like Lee with the money+ they’d save from moving Torres. How many years has it been without a regular everyday CF?
They can’t have Chapman, Torres, DJL, Volpe, Rizzo, and Peraza all on the roster for the infield. Peraza would need to be demoted and it effectively scraps the youth movement plan since he would be blocked next season.
Torres is the yanks best hitter after Judge, not sure why anyone would want to trade him when the biggest problem is the offense
Volpe is what he is. At best a back up infielder. Hits for power at the cost of every other offensive category. Hence the bad swing. He can make the adjustment but that would most likely come at the expense of his power. The main issue is his defense at ss with his offensive shortcomings. Shortstops come in diffenetent ways but it’s either power and average with decent defense or average and superior defense. He is neither of those types of players hence he’s better suited to cover 2b if he “has to” start. Peraza is the superior defensive ss but his bat is lacking as of now. What’s unfair to Peraza is this is based off of a small sample size in the majors as compared to Volpe’s 153 game in majors career. Better off giving the better defensive player the spot and Move Volpe to the bench where he currently belongs.
**to the Trout trade idea** The ANGELS would NOT accept Volpe for Trout lol. Volpe doesn’t have the value most people seem to think he has. Young middle infielder with a need of a revamp already isn’t very sought after by teams.
As the team stands right now. Volpe at 3rd, Peraza at SS and Torres at second. Going forward Torres of? Or trade. Thought and good choices are needed. Volpe is pull happy, get back to using the whole field. Peraza confidence past couple weeks much better. They have talent in minors, just have to transition them to majors. What they have not been doing.
Volpe stays at SS until someone who can hit takes it from him.
Looking at Volpe’s numbers you have to ask yourself if he will ever belong in the majors!! The guy has done nothing special in the minors and he got promoted way to early. A good farm system lets a player master a level before they move up. Volpe never mastered AA let alone AAA. He’s at least 2 years away from being a MLB caliber player and there is a huge chance that he will fail miserably in 2024 and be considered just another one of the over hyped NYY prospects.
I only see two prospects worth keeping – Dominguez and Florial. Both have been over-hyped like most NYY prospects but they have some talent and could develop into MLB players. They don’t look like stars that make the all-star team each year but they look like they could be above league average players.
Cashman hasn’t stocked the roster with talent and Boone can’t manager any better than Cora who sucks. If Boone ends up being pushed onto the sword for not winning, it’s a good thing for Yankee fans. Too bad Cashman has such an in with ownership because he’s keeping the rest of baseball from fearing the once intimidating Evil Empire. Now they are a clown show like the Red Sox.,
I am a big Anthony Volpe fan and feel he has just scratched the surface. However, he could use less chicken parm dinners(seriously).
A major problem with the Yankees is the constant shuffling of players . What everyone has commented on Volpe, Peraza, Gleyber, the hole at 3rd and OF misses out on this point. Boone is toxic leader of it & shuffles a lineup daily too. Need for speed, hitting & starters is required. Yankees need more left handed batters. Look at past NYY past WS champ lineups! This ‘24 season will be the end of Boone & Cashman!
The only outfielder the Yankees need to get is Soto. Soto, Dominez, and Judge next year. When Judge is ready to DH, Spencer Jones is on his way.
I said this from the beginning thay peraza is the better defensive shortstop than Volpe. Yet Torres is better at 2nd and more valuable than volpe as a hitter.
Hal and company screwed the pooch when they demanded volpe be their shortstop and avoided 2 free agencies of superior shortstops. Now they are stuck with Volpe.
Give Peraza a full season at 3rd with the proper hitting coach and then reevaluate. I wouldn’t trade Torres, rather resign him long term. You’re stuck with Volpe.