Yankees Anthony Volpe takes advantage of playoff…
Anthony Volpe sure regarded snug in his first playoff start at second base while delivering a key hit and sacrifice bunt in a 9-0 win over Boston in Game 1 of the wild card collection at the Stadium.
It was a spotlight in a rocky season for the one-time shortstop of the future for the Yankees, who bounced from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to The Bronx and all around the infield in a wild season.
Now he seems to be like he may very well be a key piece to a potential playoff run.
“I’m just in the moment and ready to go,’’ Volpe said. “Everything that happened, happened. … It’s all hands on deck.”
His path to Game 1 included offseason surgical procedure to restore his left shoulder a little less than a yr in the past, adopted by a minor league rehab task that started in April before he was optioned to the minors when he failed to show enough to benefit a journey back to The Bronx at short.
When he finally acquired back to the majors, it got here because José Caballero, who changed Volpe at short, was harm.
And after more than one journey back to the minors, Volpe didn’t play his first major league sport at second base until this month.
“It was frustrating,’’ Volpe said. “As bad as it was, it was a good opportunity.”
“Credit to him,’’ Aaron Boone said prior to the game. “It was an incredibly difficult situation, but that’s why I always [say], we live in the moment so much. It’s a snapshot in such a long grind of the season. There’s gonna be good times, bad times, twists and turns. A lot of times, the cream usually rises to the top.”
The Yankees went with Volpe over lefty-swinging Jazz Chisholm Jr. against Boston left-hander Payton Tolle, with Volpe having began at second just 11 instances in the majors before Tuesday night time.
Anthony Volpe rounds first base after hitting a single in the second of the Yankees’ 9-0 Game 1 blowout win over the Red Sox in their AL wild-card collection on Sept. 29, 2026 at the Stadium. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Still, infield coach Dan Fiorito expressed confidence that Volpe can be stable wherever he was requested to play.
“I know he’s ready,’’ Fiorito said before the game. “He’s got some games there going back to the minors.”
And Fiorito said Volpe’s data of the sport has helped with the transition.
“He doesn’t have the same experience as he does at shortstop, but he’s a baseball player,’’ Fiorito said. “He knows all his responsibilities. He’s looked good out there so far.”
Prior to this season, Volpe had appeared in just two video games as a professional at second base, as the Yankees ready him throughout his profession to be the shortstop for the foreseeable future.
But his offense stalled and his protection regressed and when he performed through the shoulder injury last season, it took a toll.
Many scouts have long believed that, despite the Gold Glove he received as a rookie, Volpe was better suited as a second baseman and with George Lombard Jr. so far wanting the half, the best probability Volpe has of sticking in The Bronx — and making a distinction this postseason — is an potential to play second and maybe third.
“Anthony is a competitor,” Fiorito said. “He’s dialed in. He knows where everybody’s got to be on the field at all times. And he’s in the right spot at the right time. That makes you feel good about him.”
And Fiorito has been most impressed with Volpe’s consistency at other components of the infield.
“He’s made some actually good performs there, but he’s also made those you anticipate him to and that’s what you need this time of yr,’’ Fiorito said.
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