All this while, Anthony Volpe’s defensive consistency was supposed to make up for his shortcomings at the plate. Yet, the 24-year-old infielder is now leading the American League with 19 errors. Ironically, just hours before that, the newly inducted Hall of Famer and Yankees special assistant had urged New York to let him breathe.

Yankees legend CC Sabathia publicly pleaded with the fanbase to show patience with Anthony Volpe. “You know what’s crazy? I think it’s like people need to relax.” He said while speaking with Erich Richter from the New York Post. For someone as young as Volpe, Sabathia highlighted that the Yankees’ relentless pursuit of a championship title leaves little room for young players to go through the natural “growing pains.”

After all, the demand to get over a slump is immediate. Speaking of which, he added, “It’s hard to develop young talent here. Just because of the demand, right? Like, we’re trying to win the World Series every year. You don’t have time for guys to go through growing pains.” According to Sabathia, Anthony Volpe had long been weighed down by persistent pressure. Sabathia has been with the organization for the last 11 years. He’s well aware of how it feels to be on both the good and bad sides of the fanbase.

He cited the example of Volpe being drawn into constant comparison with Derek Jeter—nearly a unanimous Hall of Famer. Not once, but throughout this season when Anthony Volpe was playing elite, he was called out to be Jeter’s successor. A few hours after Sabathia’s plea, Volpe struggled once again in the Yankees’ 4-3 win against the Blue Jays. During the third inning, with a runner on second and no outs, Davis Schneider sent a routine ground ball to short.

Although Volpe fielded it cleanly, his throw to first baseman Ben Rice fell short. Consequently, Rice had to stretch and pull his foot from the bag in a desperate attempt to salvage the play.

However, Schneider was called safe. Meanwhile, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. quickly followed with an RBI double, capitalizing on the error. Across the last 71 games, Anthony Volpe has held a .168 batting average, a .215 OBP, and a 53 wRC+. It’s only a matter of time until we get to know how long the Yankees are going to be fine with Volpe slumping.

Could the Yankees replace Anthony Volpe after this season?

The Yankees are under immense pressure to bring the World Series title to the Bronx. However, they’re not the only ones who want to bring the title home. For their division rivals, the Toronto Blue Jays, it could be the last chance to win with the superstar duo—Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.

While Guerrero is locked in long-term with a massive $500 million extension back in April, Bichette is set to hit free agency after this season. With a projected value of nearly $182 million (per Sportarc), the Blue Jays might not be able to keep him.

Interestingly, the Yankees have suddenly emerged as a potential fit for Bichette. According to Christopher Kline of FanSided, Bichette can stabilize the left side of the infield next to Ryan McMahon. Plus, he’s a more consistent hitter than Anthony Volpe. The Yankees could highly consider an infield change this winter. If they come as buyers in the market for a new shortstop, then Bichette would likely be the best available option.

After making two All-Star appearances with the Blue Jays, Bo Bichette had a down year last season. But now in 2025, he has bounced back in a big way. Right now, he is among the league leaders in hits. He could be a strong replacement if the Yankees decide to part ways with Anthony Volpe after this year.