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The Yankees are experiencing something almost unprecedented with star shortstop Anthony Volpe, who’s taking a developmental step forward this season that some would say is unrealistic.
As a rookie in 2023, Volpe hit just .209/.283/.383, mashing 21 homers with 60 RBIs and stealing 24 bases. He hosted a 27.8% strikeout rate and 8.7% walk rate, good for an 84 wRC+. However, Volpe has turned things in a totally different direction after spending the off-season and working on his swing and plate discipline.
Over 15 games this year, Volpe is slashing .382/.477/.564, including a 13.6% strikeout rate and an impressive 15.2% walk rate. He hit two homers with eight RBIs and five stolen bases, earning a 207 wRC+.
This is a totally different player compared to last season, and Volpe is putting together something truly special, given the amount of work that needs to be done. In fact, manager Aaron Boone recently transitioned him to the lead-off spot, pushing Gleyber Torres down to the number six slot in the batting order.
The Yankees Have Their New Leadoff Hitter
Taking a look at his numbers batting leadoff, Volpe is hitting an impressive .400 with a .550 OBP. Over those 20 plate appearances, he’s collected five walks and hasn’t struck out, earning six hits.
On Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians, Volpe was phenomenal despite an 8–7 extra innings loss. He picked up three hits with a walk in the game, including a ninth-inning double to right field to tie the game, giving the Yankees a chance to steal a win.
Unfortunately, Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo’s poor defense determined their fate, but the young shortstop did everything in his power to give the Yankees an opportunity to win.
Even manager Aaron Boone is blown away by Volpe’s progress, pointing to his tough at-bats and clutch moments.
“He’s squaring it up every [time],” manager Aaron Boone said. “I would argue he’s hitting into tough luck even. He’s putting together a good at-bat every time. Clase’s obviously about as good as they get at the back end. Just a great at-bat to tie that game.”
Speaking of clutch moments, Volpe has been excellent with runners in scoring position, hitting .333 with a .538 OBP, collecting three hits with six RBIs and just one strike out over 13 plate appearances.
With a more balanced approach in the batter’s box, including a level bat path, Volpe has become one of the team’s best young players. They have him under team control until 2029, so the future is bright, and the Yankees don’t have to worry about the shortstop position for a very long time.
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Bad News Brewers? Insider Gives Tigers-Eugenio Suárez Update
Are the Milwaukee Brewers still in the running for Eugenio Suárez? While it’s difficult to gauge the precise status of any Suárez-Brewers talks, one thing is clear — there are multiple contenders in hot pursuit of the Arizona Diamondbacks slugger. MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan called Milwaukee the No. 2 landing spot for Suárez on Saturday (behind the Philadelphia Phillies) and also included the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, and Houston Astros on his list. On Monday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale provided an interesting update on the Tigers’ connection to Suárez. “The Detroit Tigers, one of the strong suitors for Diamondbacks All Star 3B Eugenio Suarez, would love to finalize a deal before Suarez leaves town Wednesday,” Nightengale wrote on Monday afternoon. “The DBacks are in Detroit for 3-game series.” Does Detroit, set to share physical proximity with Suárez over the next 72 hours, suddenly have the upper hand in the sweepstakes for the All-Star? That would be a wild development if so. Suárez and his suitors have become the leading topic amid what has otherwise been a quiet trade deadline, although analysts believe a flurry of moves will happen on Thursday with hours remaining before the literal deadline. Suárez’s recent production has only fueled the trade buzz. He’s hit 36 home runs this year and represents the most impactful bat on the market. Brewers fans are still split on whether acquiring Suárez would make a winning team better or possibly interrupt flawless chemistry. The only shocking outcome at this point would be if Suárez is still wearing a Diamondbacks uniform when August begins.
Titans waive former first-round pick after latest injury
Treylon Burks‘ tenure in Tennessee is on track to come to an end. In the wake of his latest injury, the former first-rounder has been waived. This move has come with an injury designation, which comes as no surprise given the broken collarbone Burks recently suffered in training camp. Injuries have plagued the 25-year-old throughout his brief NFL tenure, which began when Tennessee selected him with the No. 18 pick in the 2022 draft. That selection was acquired by dealing A.J. Brown to the Eagles. Given the link between the two wideouts created by the trade, Burks’ evaluations have always been measured against Brown’s Philadelphia success. During each of his three seasons with the Eagles so far, Brown has earned a Pro Bowl nod and second-team All-Pro acclaim; the 28-year-old was also a key figure in the team’s Super Bowl success in 2025. Burks, by contrast, entered this summer on Tennessee’s roster bubble. The Arkansas product managed a career-best 444 yards as a rookie while being limited to 11 games. Optimism was high that, with better luck on the health front, he could round out his game and develop into a regular on offense with the Titans. Staying on the field has proven to be an issue, however — Burks missed six games again in 2023 and an ACL tear limited him to five contests last season — and when available he has not managed to meet expectations. The collarbone injury accelerated the timing for what could have been a decision to move on from the Titans closer to the start of the regular season. Tennessee’s receiver depth chart will once again be headlined by Calvin Ridley this season. Veteran Tyler Lockett was added in free agency, as was Van Jefferson. The Titans used the draft to add a pair of Day 3 prospects at the position (Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor), and they will look to handle backup roles during their rookie seasons. Tennessee entered Monday with nearly $30M in cap space, so finances will not be an issue if one of the veterans still on the market is targeted in the wake of this move. Burks is now headed to waivers, with all teams free to claim him. Provided he goes unclaimed, he will revert to injured reserve. Situations such as these often result in a release being worked out along with an injury settlement. If that proves to be the case for Burks, his Titans stint will end on an unwanted but unsurprising note.
Bruins' David Pastrnak Calls Out Canadiens' Juraj Slafkovsky: He Just Lacks Humility'
Juraj Slafkovsky is one of the most promising players in the NHL, but now he has been called out by David Pastrnak, who stated he lacks humility. After being picked No. 1 overall in 2022 NHL Draft, expectations were high in Montreal for young star Juraj Slafkovsky, and thus far, he's shown glimpses of being the elite level player many expected when he entered the National Hockey League. However, there are still some major steps to go, and in a recent interview, Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak pointed out perhaps one area where the 21-year old may need to improve moving forward. When asked about Slafkovsky and his potential, Pastrnak gave nothing but a glowing review of the young Canadiens star, but he did note that he believes Slafkovsky needs more humility. 'He's still a young player who is gaining experience in the NHL every year. This season it was already clear that he gave the team more than before...He just needs a little more humility, he should set an example for the young ones.' On the ice, there's no doubting that Slafkovsky has the presence, the size and the talent to be a true star, posting 101 total points over the past two seasons, but for whatever reason, it appears as though Pastrnak believes he needs to improve off the ice before he can take a major leap in Montreal. Ultimately, the talent is still there for Slafkovsky, and at 21-years old, he'll continue to learn off the ice, and if he can go anywhere close to living up to the potential that he's shown in his first three years at the NHL level, there's no doubt that he can be a big time star and help lead the Canadiens to significant post-season success.
Possible Bengals Free Agent Target Officially Cleared After Devastating Injury
Free agent guard Will Hernandez was fully cleared for football on Monday. The veteran suffered a torn left ACL in October. Hernandez has been mentioned as a possible free agent target for the Bengals. The 29-year-old is a seven-year veteran that is known for his pass blocking. He posted pass blocking grades of 70 or better in each of the past three seasons according to Pro Football Focus. Hernandez has appeared in 97 games (91 starts) over the past seven years. He spent the past three seasons in Arizona after spending the first four years of his career in New York. Realistic Target? On paper, the Bengals are an obvious match for Hernandez. He's coming off of a serious injury, but would certainly like to start and play for a true contender. The Bengals have questions at both guard spots. They parted ways with Alex Cappa before free agency opened, but opted not to sign a clear-cut starter. They added veteran Lucas Patrick and re-signed Cody Ford instead. Patrick is dealing with a calf injury that he suffered last week. Ford is taking all of the starting reps at right guard. Will the Bengals consider signing Hernandez or another veteran guard? So far, the answer has been "no." Things could change, especially if Patrick is going to miss real time. The injury sounds minor and head coach Zac Taylor said the veteran is "day-to-day." The Announcement Hernandez announced that he's fully cleared for one reason: to let all 32 teams know that he's ready to return to the field. He should have his fair share of suitors. If the Bengals are unsure about their guard room, then adding a proven player like Hernandez would make a ton of sense. Check out his announcement below:
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