It didn’t have to go this way with Anthony Volpe. And shortstop. And Opening Day at Yankee Stadium.
He did this not just with good statistics — 1.064 OPS, three homers, 5-for-5 in steals. But with something more vital at a time of year when stats can be so small-sample deceiving. He looked like he belonged. He was not out of his element. The opposite — this was his element.
Volpe became the starter by stripping away one concern after another. He did have enough arm and range for shortstop. By the end of camp, it was not just that he was having one good at-bat after another, he was doing it against Twins Opening Day starter Pablo Lopez and Phillies co-ace Aaron Nola. Like a good lawyer, Volpe was making the kind of case that even a jury that leaned differently six weeks ago could not reject.Kiner-Falefa fell out of the competition quickly.
But the Yankees let it play out. Fair. Square. And Volpe day after day showed up with energy and both-sides-of-the-ball skill and, really, it should not be understated — that hard-to-quantify aura that he belongs in the main room. He was often leading off in front of Aaron Judge late in camp, though as Rizzo said, “He doesn’t have to hit third on this team.”The expectation is that Volpe will hit ninth Thursday against the Giants — the same as Derek Jeter did in his 1996 opener.
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