KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Within the spring of 2023, the Yankees named Anthony Volpe to the Opening Day roster, though he’d performed simply 22 video games on the Triple-A stage.
On the time, Aaron Boone famous Volpe’s “power” and “an intuition that he has that’s evident.”
Over the course of his two seasons in The Bronx, Volpe has gone via his fair proportion of issue, however to date this October, he’s lived as much as Boone’s billing.
Once more in Wednesday evening’s 3-2 win over Kansas Metropolis in Recreation 3 of the ALDS, which put the Yankees a win away from the ALCS, Volpe reached base thrice and made a terrific diving catch on a Vinnie Pasquantino liner within the backside of the eighth with the Yankees clinging to a one-run lead.
“It was bizarre,” Volpe stated of the play. “I believed he hit more durable and went to cowl and get the reduce at third, however I spotted it was gentle and went for it.”
Luke Weaver ultimately escaped the inning with none harm.
“That will have been bother proper there,’’ Weaver stated.
Volpe, who grew up dreaming of taking part in shortstop for the Yankees, merely known as his first playoff expertise “a variety of enjoyable.”
“We’ve had a variety of off days,” Volpe stated of what it’s been like within the playoffs. “I’m trying ahead to all of the video games. I haven’t been capable of step again.”
When he does, Wednesday will doubtless be a spotlight. Not solely did he lead off the highest of the fifth with a single to middle and rating later within the inning, however he additionally walked twice later within the recreation.
His largest impression on the win, although, got here with one out within the backside of the eighth.
After Tommy Kahnle opened the inning by placing out Michael Massey, Weaver entered and gave up a single to Bobby Witt Jr. via the left facet of the infield.
Pasquantino adopted with a gentle liner up the center. Volpe, shaded that means, made a diving catch behind second base.
If the ball went via to middle, the Royals would have had runners on the corners with one out. As a substitute, Witt retreated to first, and although Weaver gave up one other hit to Salvador Perez, he bought out of the inning with the Yankees nonetheless forward.
“It was sick,’’ Jazz Chisholm Jr. stated.
“That’s why he’s our Gold Glove [winner],” Juan Soto stated. “It’s unbelievable. He does it every single day. It doesn’t matter how issues are going for him, he’s all the time taking part in the protection we want.”
