The Yankees may be about to try something unexpected to solve their third-base problem, and it could put Anthony Volpe in the middle of the conversation.
That matters because Ryan McMahon has become a major concern at the plate. He’s the only player in the league with at least 350 plate appearances to sit below a .280 on-base percentage while striking out more than 29 percent of the time. Amed Rosario hasn’t offered a clean answer either, with his struggles against lefties and shaky defense making him hard to trust as a fallback option.
Aaron Boone may have found a different path. According to the manager, Volpe will “probably” get time at third base this week, while George Lombard Jr. stays at shortstop. Boone is always careful with his wording, so there’s still room for that plan to change, but the idea is now on the table.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back in action, and with that in the mix, Volpe’s move to the hot corner suddenly makes a little more sense. There are obvious questions about whether he can handle the position, especially with his arm under the microscope. And if the experiment goes sideways, there’s also the risk that it affects him at the plate too.
But Volpe has already logged some time at third during his last stint in Scranton, and his Triple-A numbers were loud. In his final month there, he hit 10 homers and posted a 1.023 OPS.
Since returning to the majors, his offense has been more modest, as he’s hit .263/.300/.395. Even so, that’s still better production than McMahon has given the Yankees. Volpe has also had his moments, including his September 10 grand slam against the Colorado Rockies.
The timing gives the Yankees a chance to test the idea without much pressure. They’ve already clinched home-field advantage against the Boston Red Sox for the upcoming AL Wild Card Series, so any look at Volpe at third comes with October right around the corner.
If the move works, it could open up a real future at the position. Volpe getting comfortable there in the postseason could reshape how the Yankees view him, especially if the confidence carries over into his bat.
And beyond this October, it could position him as a possible answer for the struggling McMahon. That matters because the free-agent market at third base doesn’t offer much, unless the Yankees make a major trade.
For now, this is just a trial. But it could be the start of something much bigger.
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