Opinion
Gather 'Round for the Eternal Shortstop Sob Story
We really thought Volpe was our guy — homegrown, 21 HRs and 24 SB his rookie year, a similar 3.3 WAR, enough to give us Jeter feels. But 2025 was a disaster: 22nd in OPS and AVG among shortstops, 2nd in errors out of 25. Fast-tracked from AA with barely a stop in AAA — several shortstops took the same path and adjusted just fine. Take a look.
Anthony Volpe (Batting Average)
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .251
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .209
Year2 █████████████ .243
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .212
Bo Bichette
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .286
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .311
Year2 ██████████████████ .301
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .298
Carlos Correa
AA. ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .325
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .279
Year2 ██████████████ .274
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .291
Corey Seager
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .278
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .308
Year2 █████████████████ .295
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .308
His on-base percentage is the most alarming decline. With a lineup stacked with sluggers, a (potential) leadoff man who can get on base matters.
Anthony Volpe (OPS)
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .802
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .666
Year2 ███████████████ .742
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .657
Bo Bichette
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .895
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .930
Year2 ██████████████████ .840
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .828
Carlos Correa
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .857
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .857
Year2 ████████████████ .764
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .811
Corey Seager
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .860
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒.877
Year2 ██████████████████ .854
Year3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .813
Even among middle-tier shortstops, his offense doesn't compare.
Anthony Volpe (Batting Average)
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .251
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .209
Yr2 ████████████████ .243
Yr3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .212
Willy Adames
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .277
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .278
Yr2 █████████████████ .254
Yr3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .259
Trevor Story
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .277
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ .272
Yr2 ████████████████ .239
Yr3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .291
Dansby Swanson
AA ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ .261
Rookie ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒.302
Yr2 ███████████████ .232
Yr3 ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ .238
The wheels started coming off early enough for real decisions to be made. After getting raked by the Dodgers in the World Series, you'd think the front office would do everything imaginable to ensure 2025 was our year.
Boone did the best he could with the cards he was dealt, and Volpe put the work in — but the front office did nothing. That's the problem.
By the summer trade deadline, fans expected something. Instead, the team dug in on Volpe. Damn the torpedo bats! Full speed ahead! We were rooting for our Jersey kid — he's likable, but in a more pleasant way than Gardy, who was equally likable only if you like your steak well done. But when we boo a likable player at Yankee Stadium, pay attention. It's your conscience speaking. Stanton knows this.
The gabagools in the front office weren't listening. After a disappointing postseason, the offseason was uneventful.
We don't need a superstar; we need output. The last time we had even a "mid-pack" shortstop was Didi Gregorius, and that's not saying much. Since 2000, we've been fumbling the same problem: IKF, Gleyber, the various Oswaldo(s), now Volpe.
Boone is playing poker with a ten-high. No candidates: we re-signed Rosario (why?), Caballero should be playing 2B instead of Jazz, Cabrera deserves better than this, Jazz has a weak arm (yep, I said it), and now McMahon is getting reps at short. Why be comfortable with elite hot-corner defense when you can screw it up?
I don't see anything happening by the August deadline. The front office only cares about pitching — I hope I'm wrong, but that leaves us with prospects. We've tried many to no avail, so let's give George Lombard Jr. a shot. Stats aren't there, but he's shown life in spring training — wean him in, don't fast-track. Even Cashman said he "could play defense in the big leagues right now" but is "still developing on the hitting side."
Here's the plan: Lombard on the 40-man for reps in 2026, offload Jazz in November, make a big-money two-year stopgap deal at short. In 2027, Volpe moves to second — fast hands, quick release, agile; he's better suited there. Lombard works the left side as a utility guy alongside whoever we sign. It won't deliver the output we need immediately, but it positions us better for what's left of the prime Judge years.
Disagree? Probably, or you wouldn't be a real Yankee fan. Let me know your thoughts.
Around the Horn
Build Bullpens, Not Just Buy Them
(4 minute read) The Yankees’ pitching development strategy looks like science. Advanced analytics, pitch design labs, grip shaping, and biomechanical analysis now guide how pitchers adjust velocity, spin rate, and movement profiles. All teams are already doing some sort of nerd-ing but how can you explain how Weaver and Holmes went from nothing to prime time closers? The Yankees figured it out and have done so for past several years.
Martian, Jones, or the Guy that came with Soto
(3 minute read) Trent Grisham had one of the most surprising Yankees seasons in recent memory, with a career high 34 home runs and a .235/.348/.464 line. Plus, he made Yankee moustache's cool again. But success hasn’t eliminated pressure. With one of the best outfields in the league, this vacant spot is hot. Prospects Spencer Jones and Jasson Domínguez are closing in fast. Both bring power and athleticism the Yankees want long-term. For now Grisham holds the job—but if the bat cools, the next wave of outfield talent is already waiting.
Stanton Can't Open a Bag of Chips—But Can Still Open a Can of...
(4-5 minute read) Big G has battled elbow issues plaguing his swing early in spring training, dropping his average exit velocity below 95 mph. Let's put that in perspective — the stare alone makes the ball go 95; the biceps propel it the other 20. So it adds up if the arms are not working. He did deliver a 113 mph Stantonian blast against the Jays, but he's not going anywhere. Big G is Judgey's buddy; no trade happening here. "The elbow feels great now — I'm seeing the ball better and letting it travel."
The Bronx Ex-files
Soto Is Aiming for NL MVP
The Mets are moving Soto to left field full-time in 2026, a surprise defensive overhaul. He's targeting Ohtani's MVP crown, saying "I've got to find a way to beat him." Maybe switch over to pitching for starters? Less fly balls to drop—could even spend more time in that deal breaking suite.
Alex Verdugo Is a Minor Leaguer
And that kind of hurts. Verdugo signed a minor-league deal with the Padres, after hitting .239 with zero homers in 56 games for the Braves in 2025 before being released mid-season. Stats and perfomance aside, he's the only Red Sox crossover that felt like a Yankee since Boggs or Clemens. Dugie had that New York dog in him. Wish he turns it around, even for 1 season.
It's Gleyber Day in Detroit
The Tigers like Torres, enough that he accepted a one-year $22 million qualifying offer. What the heck is a QO? It's rare and offered to free agents who are some of the best players in the game. From 2012-2024, just 14 of the 144 eligible players chose to accept a QO. Pretty sure Torres doesn't fit that bill but the Tigers president certainly thinks so, saying "nobody has better bat-to-ball skills than Gleyber." Guess he hasn't seen Luis Arraez ?
