Is It Time to Bench Anthony Volpe? A Former MLB Manager Thinks So

New York Yankees fans may be loud and opinionated, but at leas one former MLB manager does not believe they are wrong when it comes to Anthony Volpe. Amid a growing clamor to bench the Yankees’ struggling shortstop, for Rays, Cubs and Angels manager Joe Maddon suggested the Yankees should consider sending Volpe to the minors because of shaky defensive and visible confidence issues.

Speaking on MLB Now Thursday, Maddon said Volpe’s error Wednesday night showed him a player who is struggling internally. 

 “He got down on one knee … unsure of himself.” The play — a routine grounder to shortstop — raised red flags. Maddon reminded that Rogers Centre's tricky turf may contribute, but the deeper concern is Volpe’s mental state: “Something … his confidence is lacking right now.”

While Yankees manager Aaron Boone has vehemently and consistently defended Volpe, there are numbers that show he could benefit from decompressing in the minors. 

Right now, Volpe, who won a Gold Glove, is at 0 Defensive RUns Saved and has a 2 Fielding Run Value, according to FanGraphs and Baseball Savant. That’s down from a +10 DRS and +6 FRV in 2024. 

He is not offering much on offense either. Through 99 games, Volpe is hitting .214 with 12 home runs, 53 RBI and a .686 OPS. 

Maddon cited what the Mets recently did with top catching prospect Francisco Alvarez, who was demoted for a short time and has come back a better player. 

Volpe’s bat remains underwhelming—his .214 average and .686 OPS are near league-low. Defensively, metrics confirm Maddon’s gut check. The shortstop who once won a Gold Glove now posts replacement-level defense.

Maddon suggested the Yankees get a rental at shortstop at the deadline to ease up on Volpe.  At just 24, Volpe still has room to grow, but with Aaron Judge’s clock ticking on a championship, maybe he shouldn’t be doing it where it can cost the Yankees games. 

If they prioritize winning now, a temporary demotion could be a tough but necessary adjustment.