UPDATE: In a critical moment for the New York Yankees, shortstop Anthony Volpe committed his 12th fielding error of the season during a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on July 17, 2023. This miscue ties him for the most errors in the American League, raising alarms for a team struggling to maintain competitiveness.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed concern, stating Volpe has made “a few too many” errors this season. The young star, who won the AL Gold Glove as a rookie in 2023, had previously recorded 17 errors in 1,346 2/3 innings and 16 errors in 1,416 2/3 innings last year. This season, Volpe has played 846 2/3 defensive innings and now shares the error lead with Kansas City’s Jonathan India.
Volpe’s latest error occurred in the fifth inning, contributing to a four-run rally by the Blue Jays. “I rushed the throw and pulled it, giving Goldy (first baseman Paul Goldschmidt) a tough pick to handle,” Volpe admitted. This error followed a throwing miscue by third baseman Oswald Peraza, which also allowed a run to score.
Despite the rising error count, Boone remains optimistic about Volpe’s overall defensive capabilities. “He’s still making a lot of rangy plays, he’s still making a lot of plays,” Boone said, emphasizing that the problem lies in consistency rather than ability. “That’s three or four plays we’re talking about,” he added.
After the game, Volpe was seen with an ice pack on his left shoulder, but both he and Boone assured the media that there are no health concerns affecting his performance. Carlos Rodón, a left-hander for the Yankees, voiced his support, stating, “Just hang with him. He’ll be better.”
As of this game, San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames held the major league-high with 13 errors, while Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz and San Diego’s Manny Machado also recorded 12 errors each.
The Yankees have struggled against the Blue Jays this season, now sitting with a 2-6 record against them, having lost their last five meetings. Overall, New York is 10-17 against AL East rivals, prompting Boone to call for an urgent turnaround. “It’s been a month now where we haven’t been our best. We need to start playing better consistently and putting wins in the win column,” he said.
As the Yankees face mounting pressure, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how Volpe and the team respond in their upcoming games. Will Volpe improve his performance and secure his position, or will the errors continue to haunt the Yankees?
