Decision after decision keeps coming out of the Bronx. Trent Grisham accepted his qualifying offer days ago. Now Brian Cashman has made another roster move, this one involving Anthony Volpe. The announcement triggered an immediate backlash from the bleacher creatures.

Volpe, who appeared in 153 games during 2025, posted a career-low .212 batting average and .663 OPS. His 19 home runs and 72 RBIs were career highs, yet his overall offensive production fell well short of expectations. Defensively, the problems mounted. After winning the Gold Glove Award in 2023, Volpe committed 19 errors during the 2025 season, tying for the third-most in the majors. And this has called his place in the Pinstripes into question. So does the front office decide to move on from him? Um, No!

SNY posted on X with a straightforward announcement: “The Yankees have tendered Anthony Volpe.” The reaction it generated was immediate and harsh. When a team tenders a contract to a player under team control, they commit to keeping that player for the upcoming season.

Well, for Volpe, this meant the Yankees would negotiate his salary through arbitration. He was projected to earn around $3.9 million for the 2026 season. The alternative would have been non-tendering him, making Volpe an immediate free agent. However, the Yankees chose to keep him, signaling their continued belief in the 24-year-old shortstop.

The Yankees have decided to keep Anthony Volpe on their roster for next season, but it is unclear if he will be ready for Opening Day. He had shoulder surgery in October for a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder.

This injury has been bothering him since early May, when he felt something pop during a diving play. During the season, he received two cortisone injections and continued to play despite the pain. The Yankees hope he will be ready to return in April, but the latest he could return is in May.

The timing of the decision made it sting even more for the fans.

Just days earlier, Jeff Passan had outlined the Yankees’ options at shortstop, specifically mentioning Bo Bichette as someone who could provide an upgrade over Volpe.

Passan wrote, “Among the hottest names this winter is Bo Bichette, who, at 27 years old, is the youngest domestic free agent available… Bichette is a rare middle-infield, middle-of-the-order bat… The Yankees could use an upgrade over Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero… There will be no shortage of opportunities for Bichette.”

With alternatives available, the decision to tender Volpe didn’t sit well with fans, and they are not shying away from calling it out.

Yankees nation speaks its mind

Many were unaware of the term ‘tendered,’ which opened the door to sarcasm as a jab at the front office.

A fan’s exasperation over Anthony Volpe’s struggles was summed up in one sharp comment: “Forgive me, but does tendered mean sent him through a meat tenderizer and will never play for the Yankees again? If so, that’s great news!” After three seasons of inconsistent offense, frustration had boiled over. But by tendering him, the Yankees signaled they were sticking with Volpe for another year, precisely the opposite of what Blecher Creature was hoping for.

And then came direct questions on the choices the Pinstripes had. “There are no free agent short stops better than Volpe or any that can be traded for?” Well, Passan advised Bichette, who opted for free agency, that it was a good choice, but it seems like Cashman didn’t approve of the idea for now.

Sarcasm quickly took over the comment section. “What does Volpe have on these people?” one fan asked, questioning whether the decision made any baseball sense. To them, the numbers spoke clearly: rising defensive mistakes, a sinking batting average, and no sign he should remain the starting shortstop. Still, he’s there. And it’s not the first time Brian Cashman has backed him. During the regular season, even as Volpe struggled, Cashman insisted he was “a fan of Volpe” and believed in his “strength and fortitude.”

The frustration was clearly there, with one comment reading, “For real, what are we doing here? Volpe should not be our shortstop. This man can not HIT.” Volpe’s .212 batting average, along with a poor OBP and a lack of consistent offensive production, has been thoroughly examined. The fan’s words hit hard, making it clear that, for a lot, the “starting shortstop” designation demands a more robust offensive performance than he has shown.

A biting jab, “ANOTHER YEAR OF VOLPISS HATE WATCH LFGGGGGGGGG.” Volpe became a lightning rod for criticism, someone fans rooted against while simultaneously watching every at-bat. His struggles during the 2025 ALDS, where he went 1-for-15 with 11 strikeouts against the Blue Jays, only intensified this sentiment.

As Anthony Volpe returns, the Yankees face crucial roster decisions for 2026. The coming year will be key in determining if he can bounce back or if a more challenging evaluation of their shortstop situation is needed.