Anthony Volpe’s recent performance could force Aaron Boone’s hand originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Yankees are currently taking on the Kansas City Royals in a three-game set. In the first game of the series on Monday, Anthony Volpe came up clutch for New York with a two-RBI base hit in the late innings to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead, which would end up being the final score.

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New York is 32-22 and sits in second place in the American League East. The Anthony Volpe-Yankees saga has been well documented, but the Yankees decided to try something new on Monday by slotting Jose Caballero at third base (to replace the struggling Ryan McMahon), and letting Volpe get some reps at shortstop.

Yankees’ Aaron Boone may have to roll with Anthony Volpe

It would have been a brutal loss on Monday evening if the Yankees had lost to the Royals, but they didn’t, thanks to Anthony Volpe. Volpe is still working his way back from an injury last season, and it’s clear that the Yankees/Aaron Boone are being very hesitant with Volpe this season; however, Boone’s hand might be forced now that Anthony Volpe came up clutch in the late innings of a game.

It’s a small sample size, but Volpe is hitting .231 this season with five RBIs, six hits, and two doubles in 26 at-bats. That’s good for an OPS of .719.

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Yankees fans would like to see more pop from Volpe, but maybe that’s not the recipe for success, considering Volpe has such a high strikeout rate. More balls in play is likely what Boone is looking for, and good things happen when you put the ball in play.

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