The Subway Series came to a close with the Mets edging out the Yankees, taking the three-game set 2-1. The crosstown rivalry delivered its usual fireworks on the field. But it was the continued struggles of Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe that stirred discussions in the Bronx camp. Once seen as a cornerstone of the franchise’s future, Volpe has found himself mired in a frustrating slump.

He did hit a solo homer in Game 3, but the joy around that was short-lived as the spotlight quickly turned to an incident involving his father. One that has cast an entirely different shadow over the Yankees’ clubhouse. But why is Volpe’s father now the center of attention?

Well, a video shared by Talkin’ Yanks on X shows a Mets fan yelling at Volpe’s father, Michael and Michael reverting in the same angry tone. The fan was notably sitting a few rows in front of him. “Anthony Volpe’s dad was going at it with a Mets fan in defense of his son,” the post read.

Right now, the Yankees’ shortstop is hitting a meager .219 with 10 home runs, which isn’t overly impressive. Moreover, in the Subway Series, he went 2-for-11 overall, though he did manage to hit a solo homer in the third game.

Over the past three weeks, Volpe’s OPS has dipped to .695, the lowest it’s been since late April. That defines the extent to which he is struggling this season. But that’s not all. If you check his defensive figures, it’s been just as rough. The 24-year-old has already racked up 11 errors in 83 games, leading the American league in terms of errors.

The Yankees might also have had enough of Anthony Volpe’s slump, as they put him on the bench on Saturday. While the 24-year-old didn’t start on the bench, he ended up there after getting pulled for pinch-hitter Trent Grisham in the top of the ninth.

It might have been a desperate managerial decision, but it was totally understandable given that the Yankees are witnessing a significant downfall at the moment.

Yankees have blown a comfortable 7-game lead in the AL East

Let’s get to early June when the Yankees were topping the AL East. Pitchers were moderate, and sluggers were barraging home runs like there’s no tomorrow. But the Pinstripes now seem like a pale shadow of their past selves.

Over their last six games, the Yankees’ starting pitchers have been roughed up, putting up an 8.36 ERA with 26 earned runs in just 28 innings! Yes, as ridiculous as it may sound. And the bullpen hasn’t helped either, as they’ve allowed 22 earned runs in 17 innings, with an incredibly disappointing 11.65 ERA.

Taking a wider look, the Yanks have dropped 16 of their last 22 games, blowing what was once a comfortable seven-game lead in the AL East and falling to a 49-41 record. They are currently tied with the Rays in second place, trailing behind the Blue Jays.

And Volpe alone can’t be blamed for this. Even Jasson Dominguez couldn’t get to a first-inning double in the second game against the Mets. And Jazz Chisholm made a costly throwing error in the second that led to a run. So, nothing is going right for the Yankees currently.

But as the skipper Aaron Boone said these moments build the team’s character. The fans would hope the Bombers bounce back strongly and reclaim the pole position in AL East. But it’s easier said than done!