Breaking down Aaron Boone’s critical Anthony Volpe decision

Anthony Volpe strode to the plate for a pivotal seventh-inning at-bat Wednesday night, even as the overwhelming evidence — and the fans’ opinions — pointed to a change.

Trailing by three runs and with just eight outs remaining in their season, the Yankees could hardly afford to waste one and Volpe’s at-bats had almost become automatic strikeouts.

Yet manager Aaron Boone stuck with his embattled shortstop in what would be a season-ending 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the ALDS.

Volpe struck out in what would be his last at-bat of a historically awful ALDS that saw him become the first Yankee to ever strike out nine times with zero hits a in a three-game postseason stretch, per Katie Sharp.

The third-year player went 1-for-15 (.067) with 11 strikeouts in the ALDS, including 13 straight outs to end his season, and hit just .192 with a .538 OPS across 26 postseason at-bats.

“It’s brutal,” Volpe said of the postseason exit. “Kind of in shock. That’s all I got.”

Volpe’s postseason began with him having the team’s best at-bats against Cy Young candidate Garrett Crochet in Game 1 of the wild-card series against Boston before he became a liability during the ALDS.

In some ways, it mirrored his career.

There are the highs, like his homer off Crochet, but those fleeting moments of positivity are overshadowed by extended struggles that completely overwhelm the narrative.

Volpe entered the game in an 0-for-10 funk, including seven strikeouts, while Jose Caballero received just two late pinch-hit opportunities during the series.

The shortstop struck swinging out in the second inning Wednesday with the Yankees trailing, 1-0, and then again fanned in the fifth inning with Toronto ahead, 2-1.

The Blue Jays tacked on two more runs before Volpe’s spot came up with one out in the seventh following a leadoff walk by Paul Goldschmidt.

The Yankees had a full bench at their disposal — Caballero, Ben Rice, Amed Rosario and Jasson Dominguez — but Boone opted to stay with Volpe against southpaw Brendon Little.

Volpe provided another uncompetitive at-bat, taking a high first pitch before looking at two strikes.

One fan even implored Volpe to swing the bat in a viral moment captured by FS1.

Little tossed a low knuckle curve that Volpe swung through for his third strikeout, with the Yankee Stadium faithful showering him in boos.

Boone then opted to pinch hit for Ryan McMahon, who had driven in the Yankees’ lone run with a homer run against a southpaw.

Anthony Volpe’s ALDS

While there are reasons to remove McMahon against lefties due to his struggles against same-side pitchers, one could argue that taking Volpe out would have improved the Yankees’ chances to win.

Boone mercifully pulled Volpe before his scheduled at-bat in the ninth inning, inserting Dominguez, who promptly doubled to provide a “What if?” moment.

This dreadful postseason came on the heels of Volpe’s tumultuous regular season in which he slashed .212/.272/.391 with a .663 OPS, failing to show the growth some hoped.

While Volpe battled a shoulder injury, he posted the worst on-base percentage of his career and his batting average dropped 31 points from last year.

He didn’t reveal much when asked the effect the shoulder had on him, nor did he rule out surgery when asked whether that’s on the table.

“I have a really good relationship with the training staff and they trusted them, I trusted them,” Volpe said. “And we grinded, the whole way, until today. I could have done a lot better.”

Volpe’s 2024 postseason, when he hit .286 with an .815 OPS during the World Series run, had been used as a selling point to show that he can shine when it matters.

This postseason now provides more questions about his ability to be a franchise player.

“I’m sure there will be a lot of sleepless nights, tracking back and stuff like that,” Volpe said.