Latest news with #AnthonyVolpe
Newsweek
a day ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees' Anthony Volpe Could Be Facing 'Last Chance,' per Insider
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Yankees could be losing patience as they return from the All-Star break. The team endured a harsh stretch in the last few weeks, giving up its lead in the American League East as several players fell to injury or regressed. Starter Clarke Schmidt has been ruled out for the year and the team cut ties with infielder DJ LeMahieu after some defensive struggles. Now, shortstop Anthony Volpe could be next, according to Yankees insider Bob Klapisch. "The beleaguered shortstop, looking more overwhelmed by the day, was desperately in need of a rest by the time the All-Star break arrived," Klapisch wrote for "He's batting .125 (12-for-96) with a .420 OPS in his last 27 games. If the problem has been fatigue, the Yankees will be out of excuses starting now." ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 28: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees walks through the dugout prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 28, 2024... ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 28: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees walks through the dugout prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 28, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by) More Sloter/Getty Alongside Volpe's harsh slump at the plate this year, he seems to have taken a step back on defense as well. That combination calls out for an upgrade, but the team has remained adamant that they believe he can turn it around. However, if Volpe is unable to string together a better second half, Klapisch believes he could lose his everyday playing time. "Volpe is coming out of a four-day break," Klapisch noted. "He should be fully rested. This could be the kid's last chance to rescue his place in the lineup." After becoming the first rookie in Yankees history to win a Gold Glove Award, Volpe seemed like the long-term answer as a replacement for Derek Jeter. But he's looking increasingly lost and, for a team with determined World Series aspirations, the patience can't last forever. More MLB: Why This Cubs-Braves Trade Idea Makes Perfect Sense
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees' Anthony Volpe Enters 'Death Spiral' as Offense Collapses
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Yankees' quest to once again win the American League East pennant and, ultimately, return to the World Series got off to a red-hot start. On May 28, the Bronx Bombers enjoyed what appeared to be a comfortable seven-game lead in the division, 15 games over .500 at 35-20. By the time the All-Star break came around, the Yankees prognosis looked very different. At 53-43 they now sit two games behind the first place Toronto Blue Jays with just one game separating them from the streaking Boston Red Sox below them in third. NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on May 22, 2025 in New York, New York.... NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on May 22, 2025 in New York, New York. More NewAccording to Fangraphs projections, on May 28 the Yankees had an MLB-best 98.1 percent chance to make the playoffs, as well as a 91.8 percent chance to win their division and a 15.9 percent shot at winning the World Series. Now, at the All-Star break, the Yankees enjoy just a 9.1 percent chance at a World Series championship, according to Fangraphs, trailing five other MLB teams. Their chances of winning the American League East have been cut approximately in half, to 45.1 percent, with 88.5 percent odds of making the playoffs. The reasons for the Yankees' mid-season swoon are complex, of course, but one of the most prominent weak links has been the organization's former No. 1 prospect. Now in his third year in the majors, 24-year-old shortstop Anthony Volpe — who according to longtime New York Post baseball columnist Joel Sherman is in a "death spiral" at the plate — has struggled in all facets. "He doesn't go into slumps. He goes into death spirals," Sherman said, speaking on the "Pinstripe Post" podcast Tuesday. "It isn't like a week where he hits like .162. It's like a month." More MLB: Yankees Draft Picks Turn Heads as Anthony Volpe Sees Career Crater Volpe, the Yankees' first-round draft pick in 2019 out of Delbarton School in Morristown, N.J., started the season in respectable fashion, posting a .784 OPS with five home runs and a .237 batting average through his first 31 games in March and April. But the bottom quickly fell out for the young shortstop. In his most recent 24 games, Volpe has managed just a .472 OPS with two home runs and a batting average of only .171. Through a total of 95 games, not only has Volpe's OPS fallen to .671, his wRC+ — a measure of a player's overall run-creation value where the league average is set at 100 — is just 87. In other words, Volpe has been 13 percent less productive that the average major league hitter. "He's coming up in every big moment and literally killing them offensively," Sherman said on the podcast. "His approach with runners in scoring position has been brutal." More MLB: MLB Insider Calls Streaking Red Sox 'Legitimate World Series Contenders' With the glove, Volpe has not been much better. His 11 errors tie him for third-most at any position among all MLB players, and are the highest total of any AL shortstop. Volpe's Statcast Fielding Run Value is minus-2. That means his fielding has prevented two runs fewer than the average MLB shortstop. "Not only just the offensive part, but the defensive part and now has now affected them in winning baseball games," Sherman added. His fielding percentage of .966 ranks him 23rd of 25 qualifying shortstops, and his range factor, measuring runs prevented taking only fielding range into account, is also minus-2. The decline in his fielding has been startling. Last season, according to Statcast numbers cited by The Athletic, Volpe ranked in top 97th percentile of all defensive players. But this year, the same figures place him all the way down in the 17th percentile. More MLB: Yankees Shockingly Urged To Cut Ties With Gold Glove Shortstop
Entrepreneur
3 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How Anthony Volpe Turned a Recovery Drink Into a Business Opportunity
Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe turned his personal recovery routine into a business venture by investing in and partnering with organic sports drink brand Recover 180. Volpe is taking a thoughtful approach to brand building as he begins expanding his impact beyond the baseball field. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. At some point in elementary school, you were probably asked what you wanted to be when you grew up. If you were a kid in New York or New Jersey, odds are someone in that classroom wrote down shortstop for the New York Yankees. Most people never reach the heights their childhood selves aspired to. But Anthony Volpe isn't most people. Fueled by years of preparation, passion and patience, Volpe made his major league debut for his beloved Yankees in 2023, just four years after being drafted. Today, he's living his dream — starting at shortstop for the team he grew up idolizing, following in the footsteps of Derek Jeter. Now in his third MLB season, the 24-year-old is taking the next big step in his career — not just on the field, but off it. "I grew up dreaming of being a baseball player," Volpe says. "As a kid, you don't consider all the opportunities that come with it." Nevertheless, in his relentless pursuit of a competitive edge, Volpe found a natural partner in Recover 180, an organic sports drink that aligns with both his performance needs and personal values. Related: 'Nobody's Ever Seen This Before': How These 2 NYC Sports Icons Are Infusing Swagger into Next-Gen Eyewear Real relationships, real ingredients Unlike many athlete partnerships, where a brand seeks out an athlete to promote its product, Volpe was already a consumer of Recover 180 before any formal relationship began. After researching the company and trying the product himself, the 24-year-old took the initiative to get involved with the business, much to the delight of Recover 180 VP of Marketing Jonny Hothschild. "It's really about authenticity," Hothschild says. "We want athletes and partners who genuinely resonate with the brand, people who are actual consumers of it." Volpe fits that description to a tee, incorporating Recover 180 into his workout regiment before he ever joined forces with the company. "Baseball season is as crazy as a sports season gets," the young shortstop shares. "So recovery is huge for me." As the name suggests, Recover 180 is built with recovery in mind. The drink features a coconut water base and contains no artificial flavoring, aiming to deliver maximum hydration, hence the tagline: Better Hydration. "Sugary traditional sports drinks are fine in the moment," Volpe says, "but you shouldn't really drink them if you're not actually playing and sweating." Recover 180, on the other hand, is USDA organic certified and made with a mix of clean, functional ingredients like coconut water, elderberries, added vitamins and antioxidants. "If you look at other sports drinks out there, most don't have that USDA organic certification, and they definitely don't have the low calories like we do," says Hothschild. "A lot of them even use red dye." Of course, no matter how healthy a product is, people won't drink it if it doesn't taste good. Fortunately, Recover 180 has received strong feedback on that front. "We handed out tens of thousands of samples at Fanatics Fest, and everyone loved it," says Hothschild. "In my first beverage job, about 60% of people would spit it out. So, having a product people actually enjoy drinking is a game-changer." Related: 5 Lessons I Wish I Didn't Learn the Hard Way During My 20 Years in Business Beyond the ballpark For Volpe, partnering with Recover 180 marks a new stage in his growth off the field, as the young star begins learning to navigate the boardroom with the same confidence he has on the baseball diamond. "One of the biggest things I've learned through this whole process is how important it is to find balance," he says. "Being in New York, you could take on a new opportunity every single day if you wanted to. But I've learned to focus on partnerships that are truly worth my time and have the potential to succeed." Recover 180 has already built a strong presence among professional athletes, partnering with stars like Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and Lakers guard Austin Reaves. Now, with Anthony Volpe on board, the brand has a footprint across all major U.S. sports leagues — and a valuable connection to one of the most prestigious franchises in American sports: the New York Yankees. "I'm very fortunate to play on a stage as big as the Yankees," Volpe says. "Even on the road, it's wild to see how many of our fans show up compared to the home team." That kind of visibility extends off the field as well, opening doors for brand partnerships and business opportunities. But Volpe is selective about where he puts his name. "You have to be intentional about what you do," the 24-year-old says. "It's a good problem to have, but it means picking and choosing what you really want to pursue." Finding that balance can be challenging for a young player, but Volpe is fortunate to be surrounded by seasoned MLB veterans he can lean on for guidance. He says his biggest takeaway from them has been the importance of authenticity. "My main thing is avoiding the corny deals that don't make sense or serve a real purpose," he explains. "I'm not the most outgoing person when it comes to promoting myself or posting, even though I know that's important to brands. But when a partnership is genuine, when the brand uses its platform to help share my story and vision, it feels natural." Volpe is still in the early stages of his career, both on and off the field. But if his partnership with Recover 180 is any indication, he's already knocking it out of the park in both arenas.
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees Draft Picks Turn Heads as Anthony Volpe Sees Career Crater
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Since the retirement of their iconic team captain Derek Jeter in 2014 — following a 20-year, Hall of Fame career that included 14 All-Star selections, four Gold Gloves, eight 200-hit seasons and most importantly five World Series rings — the New York Yankees have been searching for a shortstop to take his place. In the ensuing decade, the Yankees have cycled through at least 18 pretenders to Jeter's legacy. Yankee fans will recall such illustrious names as Didi Gregorious, Marwin Gonzalez, Stephen Drew and Adeiny Hechaverria all being penciled into the six-hole at various times by Yankees managers. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 16: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees reacts after grounding out during the eleventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on June 16, 2025... NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 16: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees reacts after grounding out during the eleventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium on June 16, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Angels won 1-0. MoreBut there was hope for another franchise icon in the form of Anthony Volpe, the Yankees' 2020 first-round draft pick. Volpe was a local kid, drafted out of Delbarton School in Morristown, New Jersey, who came with an international pedigree, winning a gold medal with the Team USA Under-18 squad at the 2018 Pan-American Games in Panama. When he made his big league debut in 2023, Volpe was tagged "the spiritual successor" to Jeter. But since then things have not worked out the way Volpe, or the Yankees and their fans, would have envisioned. In his 2 1/2 major league seasons Volpe has not posted an OPS over .700. In fact, his meager .671 at the All-Star break this year would be a career high. He has not enjoyed a multi-hit game since June 21, and though he won a Gold Glove in his rookie season, his 11 errors in 95 games are the most in MLB (tied with two other players). In Sunday's 60th annual MLB draft, the Yankees appeared to express exactly how little confidence they have in Volpe by using their only two picks on Day 1 on two shortstops. Yankees are taking shortstop Dax Kilby with their first-round pick — Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 14, 2025 With their first pick, No. 39 overall — they lost their first-round pick at No. 29 because they exceeded the luxury tax limit — the Yankees selected Dax Kilby, an 18-year-old shortstop from Newnan High School in Newman, Georgia. Kilby is committed to play baseball at Clemson, so New York will hope that the $2.5 million bonus slotted for the 39th pick will be enough to lure him away from college. MLB Pipeline describes the teenage shortstop as "one of the more polished high school bats available," noting that "Kilby has a track record of producing against quality competition on the showcase circuit." The Yankees also gave up their second-round slot by signing free agent pitcher Max Fried in the offseason, so their next pick did not arrive until late in the third round, at No. 103. The New York Yankees select Kaeden Kent with the 103rd pick of the MLB Draft. A guy who had a knack for coming up with a clutch hit, he authored one of the most memorable moments in Texas A&M sports history in the 2024 Super Regionals versus Oregon. — Ryan Brauninger (@R_Brauninger) July 14, 2025 They used that one on another shortstop, Kaeden Kent — son of former major leaguer and five-time All-Star Jeff Kent — out of Texas A&M. Yankees domestic amateur scouting director Damon Oppenheimer called the lefty-swinging 21-year-old, "athletic, and can really play shortstop." Of course, even the best prospects generally take at least a year or two to reach the big league level, if they ever do, so neither of the two shortstops taken by the Yankees on Sunday immediately threatens Volpe's job. But in 2023, the Yankees had a first-round pick, at No. 26, and used it on yet another high school shortstop, George Lombard Jr., who quickly became the No. 1 ranked prospect in the Yankees' farm system. So Volpe's days may indeed be numbered if he doesn't take his performance to a new level in the second half of the season. More MLB: Yankees Offer 2-Word Response on Max Fried's 'Dark' Injury Setback
New York Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees' Anthony Volpe now struggling in the field as offensive woes worsen
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free It isn't getting any better for Anthony Volpe. It was another lost day for the young Yankees shortstop. Advertisement Another empty afternoon at the plate and a shaky nine innings in the field, in the Yankees' 4-1 loss to the Cubs in The Bronx on Sunday. Volpe's errant throw in the seventh cost the Yankees a run and his offensive issues continued in an 0-for-3 day that dropped him to 9-for-70 dating to June 23. Volpe has seen his batting average fall to .214 and OPS drop to .671. His last multihit game was back on June 21. Advertisement Anthony Volpe is now struggling in the field as well. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect But most concerning might be his defense, which has fallen off of late. He made two mistakes on Sunday. With a runner on second base in the seventh inning and two outs, he got to a ground ball up the middle by Cubs speedster Pete Crow-Armstrong. Advertisement But Volpe's throw was wide to first and Seiya Suzuki came all the way around from second to score the Cubs' fourth run. Both Volpe and manager Aaron Boone said it was the right play, to try to get Crow-Armstrong at first, rather than pump-faking to first and trying to get Suzuki coming around third. 'Just a good job by them of taking advantage of a slowly developing play that we didn't finish,' Boone said. 'If [the throw] is on line, he's out.' Advertisement Anthony Volpe's OPS has dropped to .671. AP The gaffe in the eighth was worse. Volpe stayed back on a routine grounder. He casually threw to second base for the force play to end the inning. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS But Dansby Swanson beat the throw to extend the inning. Luke Weaver got out of the jam. Volpe said he should've been more aggressive. 'As a shortstop, you gotta have the freedom to try and get yourself the best hop, and then, Jazz [Chisholm Jr.] probably has to turn into a first baseman there where we're stretching because obviously it's the third out,' Boone said. 'And then a good job by Swanson of just getting his butt to the bag.' At the All-Star break, Volpe doesn't appear to be heading in the right direction. Advertisement 'I think ups and downs. I think a lot of room for improvement,' Volpe said when asked how he would evaluate his play so far this season. 'That's why I'm excited for the second half, to just help the team every night. Like I said, there's a lot of room for improvement there.'
