Yankees urged to pursue Aaron Judge’s WBC teammate, former Rookie of the Year in free agency originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Anthony Volpe is running out of time to prove he’s a viable option at starting shortstop for the New York Yankees.
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The 24-year-old will start the regular season on the injured list after offseason shoulder surgery, and has yet to enjoy a breakout season since debuting in 2023. Volpe won a Gold Glove Award in his rookie year but has had three consecutive campaigns with an OPS of .666 or lower.
That’s not exactly the kind of offensive production the Yankees need at shortstop to break their 16-year World Series drought. For now, Jose Caballero is the Opening Day shortstop.
New York’s plans at the middle infield position are unclear. However, Aaron Judge could use his recruiting skills at the World Baseball Classic to convince one of the better players in the AL East to switch sides.
Yankees urged to sign Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson in 2029
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson still has three years remaining before he reaches free agency. But it’s never too early to consider the future, and FanSided’s Mark Powell sees a scenario in which the Yankees attempt to sign the All-Star shortstop.
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“As for the Yankees, they have a void at shortstop as of this writing. Sure, Anthony Volpe has talent, but he’s been inconsistent at best at the plate, and New York will want more from such a premium position,” wrote Powell. “If Volpe doesn’t prove he’s a five-tool player by the time Henderson reaches free agency, it’ll be an easy choice for New York.”
The Yankees fanbase became enraged when the front office passed on Corey Seager, Carlos Correa, and Trevor Story when the trio were free agents in the offseason of 2021. They’ll be disappointed to see the organization pass on that level of talent again.
From 2023-24, Henderson had back-to-back top 10 AL MVP finishes and hit 65 home runs with a 140 OPS+.
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