On May 3rd, the Yankees hosted the Rays and had an injury scare when Anthony Volpe landed on his shoulder, feeling a ‘pop’ that caused concern inside the organization.
They had Volpe undergo an MRI and testing that revealed no structural damage, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that he received a cortisone shot on that shoulder yesterday.
He’s dealt with discomfort in his shoulder since that incident, and he’s hit just .197 since that injury with a .626 OPS over that stretch compared to his .233 AVG and .768 OPS before that.
Furthermore, the third-year shortstop has recorded -8 Fielding Run Value compared to a +1 before the injury, indications that this injury may have severely hampered his play.
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The Yankees Have a Potentially Compromised Anthony Volpe On Their Hands
It’s been a brutal season for Anthony Volpe, as the Yankees have started to consider using Jose Caballero at shortstop to give their struggling starter days off.
The young infielder has been especially miserable since the injury, sporting a -0.1 WAR and 70 wRC+ over that timespan, serving as both a horrendous defender and an ineffective hitter.
It’s caused the industry to wonder if the Yankees will move on from him this winter according to Buster Olney of ESPN, but that kind of talk is more substantial in the winter.
This cortisone shot could be an indication that Anthony Volpe has been compromised for the majority of the season, and the shocking splits in effectiveness create curiosity about whether it’s the reason behind his defensive regression.
While the injury was not sustained on the throwing shoulder, watching film of Volpe play shortstop reveals a clear over-excersion of energy to rip a clean throw across the diamond.
His arm strength has never been great, but his arm accuracy has been a plus for him, and it begs the question of whether the nagging shoulder has his precise throwing motion in a funk.
The Yankees revealed there was no structural damage at the time of the injury, but perhaps the wear and tear of the season have worsened it, and it could be the root of his awful 2025 season.
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