The New York Yankees nearly saw their season flash before their eyes Friday night when Anthony Volpe took a pitch off the elbow.
The 24-year-old shortstop immediately exited the game and was rushed in for X-rays and a CT scan to evaluate the damage.
For a team already grinding through injuries, losing Volpe would’ve felt like pulling the last thread on a tightly wound sweater.
Fortunately, manager Aaron Boone provided good news postgame — both scans came back clean, avoiding what could’ve been a brutal setback.
The relief was audible across social media, knowing the heart of the infield wasn’t going to miss significant time.
Volpe’s bat is starting to make real noise
Heading into Friday night’s game, Volpe was putting together a solid offensive campaign with a .237 average and .316 OBP.
He’d also chipped in seven home runs and 34 RBIs with a 109 wRC+, making him an above-league-average contributor.
That night, he elevated those numbers even further, blasting a two-run homer and driving in three runs before the injury.
It was a flash of what makes him so valuable — clutch power, steady contact, and an aggressive approach at the plate.
Volpe may not be dominating in every statistical category, but his offensive growth has been crucial for New York’s momentum.
His defense is still making a quiet impact
While some of Volpe’s flashier defensive plays have cooled off this season, he’s still more than holding his ground at shortstop.
He’s credited with four defensive runs saved and one out above average — steady marks that reflect quality positioning and awareness.
He’s not making the highlight reel every night, but he’s consistently handling routine plays and anchoring the middle infield.
That level of reliability is invaluable for a team that’s constantly rotating personnel due to injuries and performance shifts.
The Yankees know that keeping Volpe healthy means maintaining structure and stability up the middle — and that’s everything.
The timing couldn’t have been worse — or better
In the first inning against the rival Red Sox, Volpe homered off Walker Buehler, immediately swinging momentum in the Yankees’ favor.
By the time he left the game, he’d already made a sizable impact, and that just amplified the fear of losing him.
When news broke that he was likely to return Saturday, the emotional whiplash turned into cautious optimism around the clubhouse.
Losing Volpe would’ve been like a tire blowout on a highway — sudden, jarring, and hard to recover from mid-ride.
Instead, the Yankees get to keep one of their most consistent players on the field — and that’s huge for their rhythm.
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