NEW YORK — Anthony Volpe, notable for his durability, was left out of the New York Yankees’ lineup on Saturday in their matchup against the Boston Red Sox. This decision follows an incident on the previous day where a pitch from Walker Buehler struck him on the left elbow. This marks only the second game Volpe has missed this season.
“Just another day,” remarked Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone. “I had originally placed Anthony in the lineup I set up last night and maintained that plan until a few hours before game time. His strength seems fine, but there’s still considerable swelling in the elbow. After consulting with our trainers, we concluded that an extra day of rest and treatment could be beneficial, with hopes that he’ll be ready to return tomorrow.”
During the Yankees’ 9-6 win on Friday, Volpe had made significant contributions. He launched a two-run homer just after Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a three-run homer, both instrumental in the team’s five-run first inning. Later in the second inning, Volpe was at bat with the bases loaded when he took an 88.2 mph changeup from Buehler to his left elbow. He was replaced at the start of the fourth inning after taking off his brace and compression sleeve, which revealed increased swelling. X-rays at Yankee Stadium returned negative, and a subsequent CT scan at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center showed no fractures.
“It’s painful and stiff,” shared Volpe on Friday evening. “But knowing that it’s structurally sound and that it’s just a matter of reducing the swelling keeps me optimistic.”
Despite the painful incident, Volpe remained in the game long enough to play the field in the third inning before Oswald Peraza substituted for him in the fourth. The pitch that hit him resulted in a forced run scored, showing Volpe’s resilience.
This season, Volpe holds a batting average of .241 with eight home runs and 37 RBIs, demonstrating his prowess at the plate with 11 of his last 19 hits being extra-base hits. Out of 62 games, Volpe has featured in 61. The only other game he missed was on May 4 against Tampa Bay following a shoulder injury he incurred during a dive for a ground ball.