Yankees Lineup Held Back by Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells' Brutal Slumps
Volpe's Defensive Struggles in Shortstop
A highly touted prospect, Anthony Volpe has yet to live up to expectations in his first season in the majors. The 21-year-old shortstop has struggled defensively, committing 10 errors in 72 games. He also has a below-average fielding percentage of .963.Volpe's defensive struggles have been a major concern for the Yankees, who were hoping he would be a defensive upgrade over Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Kiner-Falefa, who was traded to the Minnesota Twins in August, was a Gold Glove finalist in 2020.
Volpe's offensive production has also been disappointing. He is batting .246 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs. While those numbers are not terrible, they are not what the Yankees were expecting from a player who was considered one of the best prospects in baseball.
Wells' Struggles at the Plate
Austin Wells was another highly touted prospect who has struggled in his first season in the majors. The 23-year-old catcher is batting .227 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs.Wells has struggled to make consistent contact at the plate, striking out 143 times in 372 plate appearances. He has also been prone to making errors behind the plate, committing six errors in 72 games.
Wells' struggles have been a major disappointment for the Yankees, who were hoping he would be a long-term solution at catcher. Gary Sanchez, who was the Yankees' starting catcher for the past six seasons, was traded to the Minnesota Twins in August.
Impact on Yankees' Playoff Hopes
The struggles of Volpe and Wells have been a major factor in the Yankees' recent struggles. The Yankees have lost 10 of their last 15 games and are now 3.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.If the Yankees want to make a run at the playoffs, they need Volpe and Wells to improve their play. Volpe needs to improve his defensive play and Wells needs to improve his offensive production.
The Yankees have a lot of talent on their roster, but they need their young players to step up if they want to compete for a World Series title.
