Volpe benched for two games as Yankees reset at shortstop

Anthony Volpe was left out of the New York Yankees' lineup for two games last weekend and returned Tuesday after a brief benching, a move manager Aaron Boone described as a reset amid a prolonged slump that has raised questions about his role at shortstop. The 24‑year‑old did not start Sunday’s series finale against the Boston Red Sox or Monday’s opener against the Washington Nationals, then was back in the order Tuesday and went 0 for 4.

Volpe entered the stretch mired in an extended drought at the plate — various accounts put his recent run at roughly 1 for 28 to 1 for 32 — and is hitting about .208 with 18 home runs and roughly 65 RBIs on the season. He also has been charged with the most errors among American League shortstops, commonly reported as 17 although some later tallies listed 18, and several defensive metrics have flagged a sharp drop from the Gold Glove level he displayed in 2023.

Boone said the time out was intended to be a brief mental and physical break and reiterated his confidence in Volpe. "I view Anthony as our shortstop," Boone told reporters, adding that the team hoped the mini‑benching would help Volpe "get hot again for us." The manager also noted the...