Yankees’ Anthony Volpe now struggling in the field as offensive woes worsen

It isn’t getting any better for Anthony Volpe. 

It was another lost day for the young Yankees shortstop. 

Another empty afternoon at the plate and a shaky nine innings in the field, in the Yankees’ 4-1 loss to the Cubs in The Bronx on Sunday. 

Volpe’s errant throw in the seventh cost the Yankees a run and his offensive issues continued in an 0-for-3 day that dropped him to 9-for-70 dating to June 23.

Volpe has seen his batting average fall to .214 and OPS drop to .671.

His last multihit game was back on June 21. 

Anthony Volpe is now struggling in the field as well. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But most concerning might be his defense, which has fallen off of late.

He made two mistakes on Sunday.

With a runner on second base in the seventh inning and two outs, he got to a ground ball up the middle by Cubs speedster Pete Crow-Armstrong.

But Volpe’s throw was wide to first and Seiya Suzuki came all the way around from second to score the Cubs’ fourth run. 

Both Volpe and manager Aaron Boone said it was the right play, to try to get Crow-Armstrong at first, rather than pump-faking to first and trying to get Suzuki coming around third. 

“Just a good job by them of taking advantage of a slowly developing play that we didn’t finish,” Boone said. “If [the throw] is on line, he’s out.” 

Anthony Volpe’s OPS has dropped to .671. AP

The gaffe in the eighth was worse.

Volpe stayed back on a routine grounder.

He casually threw to second base for the force play to end the inning.

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But Dansby Swanson beat the throw to extend the inning. Luke Weaver got out of the jam. Volpe said he should’ve been more aggressive. 

“As a shortstop, you gotta have the freedom to try and get yourself the best hop, and then, Jazz [Chisholm Jr.] probably has to turn into a first baseman there where we’re stretching because obviously it’s the third out,” Boone said. “And then a good job by Swanson of just getting his butt to the bag.” 

At the All-Star break, Volpe doesn’t appear to be heading in the right direction. 

“I think ups and downs. I think a lot of room for improvement,” Volpe said when asked how he would evaluate his play so far this season. “That’s why I’m excited for the second half, to just help the team every night. Like I said, there’s a lot of room for improvement there.”