Anthony Volpe’s defense has taken a nosedive this season. The youngster shortstop was a gold glove winner in 2023 with a solid +15 Defensive Runs Saved. That number sits at +2 this year. His 12 errors are the joint-most among all American League shortstops. These are not small falloffs in production. They paint a vivid picture of a player mired in a deep defensive slump.
In 2024, Volpe’s range was truly special. He had a +14 OAA (Outs Above Average), which ranked in the 97th percentile in the league. So far, that number this season has plummeted to a jaw-dropping -2. His Fielding Run Value, which accounts for his defense in total, has plummeted from +10 to -2. This isn’t just a rough patch; it’s a measurable fall, as the eye test and the advanced data both affirm.
On Monday, July 21, against the Blue Jays, Volpe committed another error—his 12th in a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. It was a throwing error to first base on a ground ball from Leo Jiménez, allowing Myles Straw to score and extending Toronto’s lead to 4-1 in a decisive four-run fifth inning.
It drew further attention to the shortstop’s defensive performance this season, but the Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone chose to downplay concerns. Providing a sunnier view, he said, “Yeah, I mean, we’re talking about a few extra errors,” before further adding, “That’s the separator of when he wins a gold glove and when he’s not.”
And then came the declarative statement that rattled many fans: “He’s still a top shortstop.” The skipper believes the reason why Volpe’s metrics have soured is “because he hasn’t made three or four plays. That crushes you a little bit.”
Aaron Boone says “a few plays” have created the negative narrative around Anthony Volpe’s defense this season
“He’s still a top shortstop.” pic.twitter.com/VlikpajatS
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 22, 2025
These comments left many scratching their heads. Volpe’s problems extend well beyond his glove. His bat has not given any cover to his gaffes in the field. In 98 games, he is slashing a .216 with a subpar. 686 OPS. That’s a good 11 percent below the league average for production.
Yankees great Alex Rodriguez had a blunt take on Volpe earlier this month: “You just cannot win a World Series” with that kind of production. Even the longtime NY Post columnist Joel Sherman described Volpe’s situation as a “death spiral” and not just a mere slump.
Boone, however, has different thoughts, and the massive disconnect between the manager’s words and the on-field reality has not gone unnoticed. It has sparked a backlash from the fans.
Fans fire back at Boone
When Aaron Boone called Anthony Volpe a “top shortstop,” fans armed with data immediately questioned his grasp on reality. “Top shortstop in what world?” wrote a fan. This comment cuts to the core of the issue. By almost every key metric, Volpe is far from the top. A look at the Wins Above Replacement (WAR) leaderboard shows a huge gap. Elite shortstops like Bobby Witt Jr. (4.6 WAR) and Francisco Lindor (3.4 WAR) lead the league. In stark contrast, Volpe’s WAR is a mere 0.9.
The manager’s attempt to downplay the problem as just “a few extra errors” was met with scratching criticism from another fan: “Not like he has the most errors in the AL or anything.” This fan’s sarcastic jab is rooted entirely in fact. Volpe’s 12 errors are not just “a few extra.” They are the joint-most among all American League shortstops.
Fans feel Boone’s analysis of his young shortstop goes beyond professional support. “Bro is literally in love with Volpe,” a fan chimed in. That doesn’t sound accurate, but this feeling is built on a long history of Boone’s hyperbolic defenses of Volpe. In August 2024, he called Volpe “the best defender in the league.” Even more famously, he once said Volpe is “bleeping elite” while talking to a reporter.
When a player struggles this much with no consequences, fans resort to humor to make sense of it. “Volpe must have blackmail on this man,” read another comment. This jab stems from watching high-stakes failures from Volpe. Against the Cubs on July 13, Volpe floated a 62 mph throw and failed to charge a routine grounder. These perceived lapses, combined with his booted double-play ball that lost the game against the Angels, have been met with no benching.
For many, the handling of the Volpe situation is the final straw. It’s the most glaring example in a long line of frustrations with Boone’s leadership, leading to exasperated pleas for change. “Idk how many more ways we can beg for this imbecile to be fired,” one more X user commented.
Despite a good regular-season record, Boone’s tenure is defined by postseason failures. He is in his eighth year as the Yankees manager without a World Series ring. Fans have already been pointing to his questionable in-game decisions that have plagued the team. Now, the defense of a struggling Volpe is only added to their frustration.
The post Aaron Boone’s Bizarre Defense of Anthony Volpe Despite Costly Error Sparks Outrage Among Yankees Fans appeared first on EssentiallySports.
