Another fielding mistake by Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe led to another confusing rationalization from his manager.
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe leads the American League in errors with 16, and is just one short of the highest MLB total of 17 committed by the Cincinnati Reds Elly De La Cruz. But his blunder in the ninth inning of game against the Boston Red Sox Friday, with the Yankees trailing 1-0, will not add to his error total.
In a way, it was worse. Volpe’s bizarre mental mistake nearly cost the Yankees another run. With Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman — who had not allowed a run or even a hit in his last 11 appearances covering 10 2/3 innings — coming in for the bottom of the ninth, a 2-0 deficit would have seemed insurmountable.
As it turned out, the 1-0 deficit was insurmountable anyway, as Chapman set down the Yankees in order, striking out Trent Grisham and Ben Rice to end the game.
But Volpe did not know that when in the top of the inning, with nobody out and the Red Sox Jarren Duran on second after a walk and a stolen base, the 24-year-old shortstop fielded a ground ball from Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela and — rather than throw to first for the sure out with Duran holding at second — whipped the ball pointlessly to second base.
