“Why do you believe in him so much? What is it that you see that your angry fans don’t see about Anthony Volpe?” Joel Sherman asked Aaron Boone during a New York Post Sports episode of The Show. 

“Well, I see talent. I see a tough kid that works his b–t off that’s not afraid of that noise,” Boone replied, in a way that seemed like him taking a second thought. “And I really don’t think any of that noise affects him all that much.”

Anthony Volpe has managed a .222 batting average in his 4-season career with the New York Yankees. In 2026, he is batting .211 and has a .644 OPS. His recovery from the left labrum surgery kept him out of the early season. But he was called up on May 12 after José Caballero had a finger injury. 

After 3 hitless games, he showed good flashes with a .280 batting average. But his offense has slumped again.

He went 3-for-25 in his last seven games. Volpe now has 8 RBIs and just one HR over 17 games. But what triggered the fans most was his last encounter with the Boston Red Sox. 

While the Yankees won the game 6-1, he was lined out in the 4th with the bases loaded. There was a clear chance to take the lead as both teams were scoreless.

But Boone didn’t see it as harshly as the fans. In fact, he saw it as “kind of a good at-bat” that resulted in an unfortunate out. 

But that wasn’t the only incident that drew the fans’ ire.

While the team wants him to become the everyday shortstop, Volpe’s errant throw caused the Red Sox to level the game in the 6th. Many saw it as a mental error and were quick to urge the team to option or at least bench him.

But instead of going full-on criticize mode like the majority of Yankees Nation, Aaron Boone doubled down on his original stance. 

“We all want him to continue to get better and get to another level as a hitter and more consistent all around,” he added. “It’s our job to work with him to get to that point.”

But this is not the first time we are seeing Boone’s support for Volpe.

Back in August 2025, Volpe only had one extra hit that errors. In fact, last season one of his errors led to a grand slam by the Chicago White Sox, giving starter Will Warren four unearned runs. Even then, the skipper didn’t consider demoting Anthony.

“I don’t think he should be sent down. I think mentally and emotionally, he’s so much better equipped to handle this than people might imagine. I don’t think he’s getting banged down by this. I’ve never seen that out of him,” Aaron Boone had shared with The Athletic last season.

And the team waited till the end of time, after getting eliminated from the postseason, to address the matters. As Caballero made a strong case for himself, Volpe remained in the minor leagues after his rehab for the first time since 2022.

It’s good to see the support Anthony Volpe is receiving. However, given the current scenario, many fans find it difficult to share Boone’s patience. 

Yankees fans fear bigger consequences as division race tightens

The Yankees are currently in a razor-thin AL East race with the Tampa Bay Rays. Boone’s team is second in the division with a 39-26 record. The pinstripes entered June riding on a 5-game win streak, but lost their footing real soon.

They only won 3 of the last 7 games. 

The Toronto Blue Jays are not too far behind, and they will host the Yankees next weekend. While the Rays remain the AL leaders, the Yankees are 7 games ahead in the Wild Card race. That gives a lot of confidence.

But it also means an extra hurdle to appear in the World Series. And winning 4 back-to-back series in October after playing 162 games isn’t the easiest job for even the most successful team in MLB history. 

And the recent injuries add more concern.

Aaron Judge, the biggest gun of the Yankees, is out with a stress fracture. He will miss several weeks. Catcher Austin Wells and starter Max Fried remain sidelined as well. Jasson Domínguez is still on a rehab assignment. 

While the overall position is somewhat comforting and they have nearly 100 games remaining in the season, these injuries bring enough concern. That’s why many fans are not as patient as the manager. They fear that the Yankees have little room for error while Aaron Boone continues to see a player worth investing in.