Yankees' Manager Indicates Red-Hot Anthony Volpe's Lineup Deployment Moving Forward

Yankees manager Aaron Boone indicated how he might deploy the blistering hot Anthony Volpe the rest of the season.

Aug 3, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) follows through on a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports | Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Yankees' second-year shortstop has looked like a different hitter since the second-half of the regular season began.

Anthony Volpe got off to a hot start this year, which led to a shift to the Yankees' leadoff spot. However, he then hit a major cold spell, which resulted in manager Aaron Boone moving him back down in the order.

Volpe has responded since the change with an .810 OPS in his last 24 games. And it sounds like Boone has no urgent plans to flip him back to the leadoff spot given the production that the 23-year-old has seen in the bottom of the lineup.

On Sunday, Volpe was hitting seventh in the Yankees' rubber match with the AL East rival Toronto Blue Jays in the Bronx. Prior to the game, Boone told reporters that his preference is to not move Volpe again.

That being said, the Yankees' skipper did say: “I’ll never rule anything out.”

But if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

“I kind of prefer this,’’ Boone said about Volpe going back to hitting in the bottom of the lineup. “I like where our lineup’s at. Anthony being sixth, seventh, eighth [or] ninth, depending on who’s in the lineup. Especially with the way he’s going now, he adds length.”

In 14 games since the All-Star break, Volpe is slashing .373/.383/.695 with a 1.078 OPS. After hitting just six home runs in the first-half, the Watchung, NJ native already has five long balls in the second-half of play.

For now, the Yankees don't seem to be in a rush to change anything up with Volpe. Deploying the young infielder in the bottom of the order has likely taken some pressure off of him, allowing him to produce more for the Bronx Bombers' offense.