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Alex Rodriguez during Old Timer\u2019s Day in 2024. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST<\/p>\nAlex Rodriguez cited Anthony Volpe\u2019s offensive struggles as an example of the Yankees\u2019 \u201cabsolutely broken\u201d hitting philosophy.<\/p>\n
During an appearance Friday on WFAN, A-Rod contended that the homegrown shortstop\u2019s issues at the plate are emblematic of deeper concerns within the organization.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Volpe] really is an incredible young man with a great family and the organization has fallen in love with him,\u201d Rodriguez said in an interview with Brandon Tierney. \u201cBut at some point the numbers don\u2019t lie, right? You have 167 strikeouts [in his rookie season in 2023], 156 [in 2024] and 150 [last season] and here\u2019s a young man that the biggest way he can impact winning is with his No. 1 tool and that\u2019s his legs. But we\u2019ve taken his legs away.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what I mean by that, here\u2019s a young man who has stolen over 50 stolen bases in the minor leagues. He stole 18 last year. And it\u2019s hard to impact winning when you\u2019re striking out 150 times and you\u2019re hitting .212. So I think if you zoom out, it\u2019s an organization hitting philosophy that is absolutely broken, and until they fix it, I don\u2019t think they win big.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alex Rodriguez during Old Timer\u2019s Day in 2024. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST<\/p>\n
Volpe, a New Jersey native, had success at the plate in the Yankees\u2019 minor-league system, which follows the same hitting program as the one used in the majors.<\/p>\n
He tallied 27 homers with a 1.027 OPS at two levels of Single-A ball in 2021 and 21 homers with an .802 OPS split between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre the following year.<\/p>\n
But he has posted a .662 career OPS in three seasons in pinstripes, including a slash line of .212\/.272\/.391 with 19 homers and 72 RBIs in 596 plate appearances.<\/p>\n
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Anthony Volpe has struggled in the majors. Charles Wenzelberg \/ New York Post<\/p>\n
It was revealed late in the season that he\u2019d been dealing for much of the year with a partial tear in his left shoulder, which required offseason surgery that could sideline him until May<\/a>.<\/p>\n Barring another move, trade-deadline acquisition Jose Caballero likely would open the 2026 season as the starting shortstop.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can never predict somebody\u2019s journey, somebody\u2019s impact,\u201d Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said earlier this month at the winter meetings in Orlando. \u201c[Volpe and Caballero are] both quality players in their own right, but \u2026 I still believe everything that we felt about [Volpe] prior to his surgery, and I\u2019m happy we have Cabby, as well. So I have no idea where things will go.<\/p>\n \u201cThe game separates it all, the men from the boys. It dictates who should and who shouldn\u2019t be playing over the course of time from the roster that the manager has. People continue to earn their playing time or they don\u2019t \u2026 If it\u2019s competition of guys on the club, may the best man win and keep it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n