TAMPA — The Yankees might not have a streakier hitter than Anthony Volpe.
But they certainly do not have a better defender, either, and Volpe’s glove has continued to shine at shortstop regardless of how dark it gets at the plate.
“That’s who he is,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s just such a good player. It’s so valuable to have someone like that at the premier position out there. To have him play the way he does, it’s big.”
Friday night was a prime example.
Volpe went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts — including two punch-outs on a combined six fastballs, all in the zone, in his first two at-bats — but was in the middle of a few terrific plays in the field that preserved a 1-0 win over the Rays.
Since he arrived in the big leagues, the 23-year-old has often been hot or cold with no in between at the plate, but his defense has remained consistently sharp throughout.
“I always feel like you can impact the game any pitch, any play,” Volpe said. “If you have one percentage of something taken away from what you can do for your teammates, then you’re not being the best teammate you can be. Obviously at the plate I want to do my best to help the team and then once that’s done, good or bad, I want to go onto the field and be ready for anything hit my way.”
The Yankees are still waiting on Volpe to find more consistency offensively. He started the season by crushing four home runs in his first five games and was batting 11-for-37 (.297) with a 1.069 OPS, nine strikeouts and three walks through nine games.
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In 12 games since, though, Volpe has been stuck in a 4-for-39 (.103) stretch with 17 strikeouts and seven walks.
He went 1-for-5 with two punchouts Saturday but was also robbed of a single by second baseman Brandon Lowe.
“I’m just missing pitches,” Volpe said. “Keep working, keeping staying to myself and when I get them in the zone and get into damage counts, I feel like I’ll be in a good spot.”
Boone said he felt like Volpe had still been having good at-bats and hitting the ball hard before Friday night, when the Rays attacked him with fastballs up in the zone.
In the meantime, his defense remains top-tier.
Volpe’s best play Friday night came on Curtis Mead’s chopper in the hole, which he ranged and stretched out to snag before throwing across his body to first base, where Paul Goldschmidt picked it for the out. The play drew a “wow” from Carlos Rodón on the mound.
“That’s as good as it gets right there,” Boone said.
“That one was just reaction, but we practice those a lot,” Volpe said. “[Infield coach Travis Chapman] pushes us pretty good. You want plays like that in the game because we practice them a lot.”
Volpe was also thankful to have Goldschmidt on the other end of that throw to make sure the play did not go for naught.
“I’ve been spoiled, having [Anthony Rizzo] and Goldy play first for me,” Volpe said. “It’s the worst feeling in the world, knowing that the ball’s going to be in the dirt when it’s on the way. But once they pick it, you feel really good about it and you thank them.”
“They work really hard and I try to work really hard to make their lives really boring and not have to do that stuff. It’s a nice safety net, one I never want to use, but it comes in handy on those difference-maker range plays.”
Later in the night, Volpe was in the middle of a perfect relay to nab a runner at third.
He received the throw from center fielder Trent Grisham and quickly fired a bullet to Oswaldo Cabrera at third for the out, which loomed large in a 1-0 game.
“We work really, really hard on the plays on the physical side, but I think the communication has been great,” Volpe said. “Guys are feeding off each other and just want to back up the pitchers. It’s kind of a contagious feeling on defense that once the ball is put in play, it’s going to be an out.”