Volpe leads the majors with 17 errors this season, which has only fueled speculation about the pressure he is under. Recently, another MLB pundit even echoed concern that all the outside noise could be affecting him.
“I feel sorry for Anthony Volpe. Take him to a sports psychologist. Let him have a week off. The fans and the media have destroyed him. He’s barely breathing,” shared YankeesPod host Jimmy Randazzo.
The Yankees already have mental skills coaches on their staff, and some believe that working closely with one, or even a clinical psychologist, could help Volpe block out the noise and find his rhythm again.
Measures that cover, but do not suture
According to reports over the weekend, after Volpe’s league-leading 17th error, Aaron Boone sat him for two games and called it a reset. But the break has not brought much improvement.
Since his return on Tuesday, Volpe has gone 0-for-9 and has not gotten a hit or even a walk since Aug. 19. And in his last seven games, he has hit .000 in 23 at-bats. Therefore, his season numbers have dropped to .204/.269/.393 with 18 home runs.
Now, with the growing errors, the boos from the fans and the daily pressure from the media, the Yankees’ locker room may be the only safe space Volpe has left right now.
Yankees still have faith in Volpe
Aaron Judge summed it up: “We’re all human,” when asked about how Anthony Volpe was handling this difficult moment.
In addition, manager Aaron Boone noted that Volpe has not been getting into his usual hitting position at the plate, but he still made sure to praise his defense despite the offensive struggles.
It is worth noting that on Tuesday, Volpe hit a 106 mph drive to the warning track in center field. On Wednesday, he followed that up with a 103 mph line drive to third in his first at-bat. So the contact is there, and now it’s just a matter of turning it into results.
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