If you are a New York Yankee fan, you have a lot to celebrate. Aaron Judge is getting hot at the right time yet again, the wins are frequent, and the road to October looks good now. Sure, the pain of losing Juan Soto to crosstown rivals or losing Gerrit Cole to surgery still stings. But overall, it’s been a great ride through ups and downs for the team. But even then, there is an invisible issue that they face, and it’s all to do with Anthony Volpe. And invisible because everyone, barring the front office, especially Boone, can see it!

The man who was supposed to be the “next Derek Jeter” has been an utter disappointment after his rather bright first two seasons. Across 141 games, he has been batting just .206 since the middle of May. His stat line says he is not like Derek at all, either, standing at .191/.235/.376. Defensively, the once Gold Glove shortstop has slipped to -9 outs above average. He ranks at the bottom of the league!

Fans have been scratching their heads about what’s wrong with him. While this doesn’t explain the downfall that’s stretched the entire year, the team just revealed that Volpe was playing through a torn labrum in his shoulder. This is an injury that dates back to early May. He has not started in a week, but if you are a fan, you know this—Boone won’t give up on the shortstop so easily. But insider Joel Sherman is asking him to tread carefully now.

Joel Sherman gave a bold warning that even a healthy Volpe may not be the New York Yankees’ best option. “I wonder at this point if you can make a case that Volpi is the best option, even healthy, because I don’t know that he’s a better hitter than Cabellero. I don’t know that he’s a better fielder than Cabellero, and I’m positive he’s not as good a base runner, and that’s one of, uh, Volpi’s strengths. Um, I think Volpi is going to get a little chance here by Boone.” Sherman said. For a player the Yankees once thought would be a cornerstone, this is a bitter pill to swallow. However, while he is on the outs, someone else is manning his job rather nicely.

Jose Caballero filled in for Volpe, and he has impressed everyone, batting .333 with an .828 OPS while flashing reliable defense (+4 OAA). So you’d think that he is hot enough that Boone would finally stop being on Volpe’s side and see the practical end. But, well, Boone is still busy saving Volpe’s career. The skipper was at the Talkin’ Yanks show, and he explained that Volpe is very much ready. That, he would add him back into the mix as soon as he is available. “Yesterday, he was fully available. Um, hit it again. Seems to be going well. So, um, yeah, he’ll get in there…Yeah, probably get him in there tonight. Okay,” Boone said.

The issue at hand is huge because fans have not forgotten last year’s costly Volpe mistake in the WS against the Dodgers. So right now Boone just seems stubborn more than anything. However, this is not the only reason Yankee fans have sweat on their foreheads heading to October.

The Yankees’ decision that backfired on them!

If there is one thing that’s making the New York Yankee fans nervous as they head to October, it’s their bullpen. The front office spent months trying to build a nice fortress of arms, but it looks like a mess now. And the biggest example of this is Devil Williams. When the New York Yankees got him from the Milwaukee Brewers, the decision felt like a masterstroke, but now not so much.

Williams, you see, was one of the most dominant relievers in the game. He even got back-to-back NL Reliever of the Year awards in 2022 and 2023. So naturally, the highlight reel was alive and great, and the Yankees expected him to be the guy who shut the door when the lights were the brightest. Instead, it looks like a haunted house. Devin Williams has posted a 5.30 ERA in 61 appearances and has a negative WAR to his name now. He was once penciled in as a closer, but he blew away several saves and shuffled out of the role. For a team that wants to redeem itself from the WS embarrassment last season, that kind of volatility has no space. Not to mention it can keep managers awake entire nights.

Baseball analyst Robbie Hyde mentioned, “It’s been a roller coaster of a year for Williams, being in the closer role and then being taken out after multiple blown saves.” He even pointed out that, saddening ERA—even though he did point out one silver lining—Williams’ FIP is 2.95, thanks to a good strikeout rate. So yes, the stuff is there, but the result, not so much.

Now with free agency looming, Hyde is predicting that the Yankees might simply let Williams walk away. What do you think?