Alex Rodriguez cited Anthony Volpe’s offensive struggles as an example of the Yankees’ “absolutely broken” hitting philosophy.
During an appearance Friday on WFAN, A-Rod contended that the homegrown shortstop’s issues at the plate are emblematic of deeper concerns within the organization.
“[Volpe] really is an incredible young man with a great family and the organization has fallen in love with him,” Rodriguez said in an interview with Brandon Tierney. “But at some point the numbers don’t lie, right? You have 167 strikeouts [in his rookie season in 2023], 156 [in 2024] and 150 [last season] and here’s a young man that the biggest way he can impact winning is with his No. 1 tool and that’s his legs. But we’ve taken his legs away.
“And what I mean by that, here’s a young man who has stolen over 50 stolen bases in the minor leagues. He stole 18 last year. And it’s hard to impact winning when you’re striking out 150 times and you’re hitting .212. So I think if you zoom out, it’s an organization hitting philosophy that is absolutely broken, and until they fix it, I don’t think they win big.”
Volpe, a New Jersey native, had success at the plate in the Yankees’ minor-league system, which follows the same hitting program as the one used in the majors.
He tallied 27 homers with a 1.027 OPS at two levels of Single-A ball in 2021 and 21 homers with an .802 OPS split between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre the following year.
But he has posted a .662 career OPS in three seasons in pinstripes, including a slash line of .212/.272/.391 with 19 homers and 72 RBIs in 596 plate appearances.
It was revealed late in the season that he’d been dealing for much of the year with a partial tear in his left shoulder, which required offseason surgery that could sideline him until May.
Barring another move, trade-deadline acquisition Jose Caballero likely would open the 2026 season as the starting shortstop.
“You can never predict somebody’s journey, somebody’s impact,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said earlier this month at the winter meetings in Orlando. “[Volpe and Caballero are] both quality players in their own right, but … I still believe everything that we felt about [Volpe] prior to his surgery, and I’m happy we have Cabby, as well. So I have no idea where things will go.
“The game separates it all, the men from the boys. It dictates who should and who shouldn’t be playing over the course of time from the roster that the manager has. People continue to earn their playing time or they don’t … If it’s competition of guys on the club, may the best man win and keep it.”
These comments follow critical remarks made by Rodriguez in which he critiqued the roster construction following the Yankees’ ALDS ouster by the Blue Jays.
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