BRONX, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 21: New York Yankee general manager Brian Cashman speaks to the media during a press conference at Yankee Stadium on December 21, 2022 in Bronx, New York. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
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The New York Yankees lost their second series of the weekend on Sunday, falling to the Milwaukee Brewers in walk-off fashion as some questions emerge about their ability to beat teams with winning records.
Though the Yankees have emerged with the most wins in the American League, they have lost the series they’ve played against teams with winning records. But as it looks to make good on persistent World Series championship expectations, the team seems dead set on fielding the best possible roster.
New York Yankees’ Anthony Volpe Struggling After Being ‘Passed Over’
Most recently, that meant keeping long-time everyday shortstop Anthony Volpe in the minors after he recovered from an offseason surgery.
“Volpe, who began the season on the injured list, is 3-for-16 in three games since being optioned last Sunday. Counting his rehab assignment, he’s batting .233 with one homer and seven RBI in 16 games, nine with Double-A Somerset and seven with Scranton,” Randy Miller wrote for NJ.com. “The Yankees passed over Volpe for a quick return when deciding Thursday to fill Dominguez’s roster spot with outfielder prospect Spencer Jones…”
Volpe’s struggles have seemed to validate the Yankees decision to keep him off the big-league roster, though it was a bit of a surprise at the time. Both general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone continuously defended Volpe as he struggled last season, and it seemed the team might have made room for him.
Instead, the team sent a message about their urgency that caught some attention.
“Considering no Yankee has appeared in more games since 2023 than Volpe, the decision to keep him in the minors was jarring, and it reinforced the perception that the organization was operating with a new level of ruthlessness,” Chris Kirschner wrote for The Athletic. “Gone were the days of the Yankees sticking with pedigree and name recognition while underperformance lingered unchecked.”
New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman Sends ‘Must-Win’ Message After Anthony Volpe Move
Though some fans certainly took notice when the Yankees opted to keep Volpe in the minors, Cashman pushed back against the narrative that he is showing more urgency this season than he has in the past.
“I know there’s this narrative that all of a sudden we woke up and smelled the coffee,” Cashman told Kirschner. “And we know it’s a must-win year — that we’re making roster moves that reflect that, and we’ve almost found a different gear. None of that is true.”
Instead, Cashman argued that the team simply has better depth options than it has in recent years and that has allowed him to be more aggressive with replacing Volpe on the big-league roster, among some other personnel decisions so far this season.
But whatever the cause is for the Yankees’ urgency, fans aren’t likely to argue much about the narrative as long as the team keeps winning.