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Aaron Boone addresses Anthony Volpe’s recent performance

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Zachary Howell | Last updated Apr 19, 2025 6:22 PM ET

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe’s impressive spring has continued into a good start in his second season in the majors. However, manager Aaron Boone didn’t shy away from talking about Volpe’s struggles against Drew Rasmussen and the Tampa Bay Rays.

Volpe and the rest of the Yankees are putting on a show so far this season. The team, which always finds themselves at the heart of controversy, have dealt with everything from New York’s use of torpedo bats to a confrontation between a Yankees second baseman and an umpire.

The 23-year-old shortstop is one of the bright youngsters in New York’s lineup. After performing well as a contact hitter in last year’s postseason, Volpe has maintained his approach at the plate, boasting an on-base percentage of 30.1% on the season. Against the Rays on Friday, though, the Yankees shortstop had a tough time. Boone isn’t discouraged, though, according to Bryan Hoch.

Speaking about Anthony Volpe, Aaron Boone said today the Rays "really beat him up in the strike zone with heaters" in last night's game. He added: "Before last night, he'd still been having good at-bats and hitting the ball hard."

— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) April 19, 2025

Boone is maintaining his faith in his young star. Volpe’s bat(and his Gold Glove defense) play a big role in the Yankees’ success. If New York can depend on him to get on base consistently, he may find his way back into the leadoff spot ahead of Aaron Judge in the lineup.

Volpe’s first full season in the MLB provided mixed results. He had his bright spots, including playing his best ball of the year in the postseason. However, he endured slumps that had Yankees fans worrying.

Missing out on an extension with Juan Soto stings New York. Although, Volpe and Co. continue to work hard and provide enough juice offensively to help Judge win games. That, combined with a good pitching start, has the Yankees near the top of the AL East once again.

Anthony Volpe needs to get back to where he has been throughout the beginning of the season if the Yankees want to get back to the World Series. The teams in their division are only getting better, making things more difficult for New York moving forward.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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