Replacing Volpe? It's Being Talked About

Yes, yes, I know—I’ve been torching Anthony Volpe for the better part of a year now. And right alongside him? His ever-devoted manager Aaron Boone, who treats Volpe like he’s baseball royalty reincarnated. Case in point: remember when Meredith Marakovits had the audacity to ask real questions about Volpe’s struggles? Boone, visibly annoyed, literally stood up from the postgame presser and mouthed to her, “He’s f***ing elite,” like he had just escaped from some kind of Volpe-themed cult retreat. Read more about that HERE.

But credit where credit is due—Volpe went deep twice last night and helped the Yankees grab a win. And look, that’s great. That’s what he should be doing. We weren’t promised some scrappy contact hitter batting .210 and playing decent defense. No, we were sold “the next great Yankee.” The golden boy. The face of the franchise. But here’s the reality—he’s not elite. He’s a kid with a high school diploma and a big league jersey, and frankly, it’s not fair to him that the front office sold him like he was the second coming of Derek Jeter.

Now, fast forward to today, and the whispers are getting louder—maybe, just maybe, there are better options out there. With the trade deadline looming, Yankees fans are scanning every possible upgrade like it’s Black Friday. One name floated by Marlins on SI analyst Matthew Schmidt? Otto Lopez. And it’s not the wildest idea.

“In case you haven’t heard, Anthony Volpe has been Public Enemy No. 1 in the Bronx over the last several weeks. While the young shortstop rebounded by hitting two home runs in a win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday night, his brutal struggles have had Yankees fans — and even Yanks legend Alex Rodriguez — calling for the front office to replace him,” Schmidt writes.

“Enter Lopez, who has been one of the Marlins’ most prominent rising stars this season. The 26-year-old is slashing .249/.318/.393 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI over 336 plate appearances while playing stellar defense at both shortstop and second base.”

Now, to be clear, there’s no real sign that the Yankees are shopping Volpe. Boone is still strangely—and let’s be honest, uncomfortably—obsessed with the guy. But I love that more fans and writers are starting to say what I’ve been yelling into the void for months: Volpe’s not elite. He’s a solid fielder. That’s it. And if you’re building a championship roster, “solid” isn’t good enough.

Boone’s taken some heat for sticking with Volpe through every slump, every 0-for-4, and every botched double play. Yes, Saturday night was a step in the right direction. But one good game doesn’t erase months of mediocrity.

With Miami dangling a potential infield upgrade like Lopez and a few pitchers too, this should absolutely be part of the Yankees’ trade deadline conversation. Will it be? Probably not. But it should be.

Stay tuned—because the Yankees might need more than just hope and Boone’s blind faith to get through October.