The New York Yankees had a golden chance to sweep the Baltimore Orioles. However, the team ended up facing an embarrassing loss, adding woes to their recent slump. The Yankees were down 3-2 at the top of the ninth inning when Ben Rice’s three-run homer put them ahead 5-3.
However, things soon took a dark turn. As Yankees closer, Clay Holmes was struggling to find his command, he ended up loading all the bases with two outs. Following that, SS Anthony Volpe fumbled a ground ball which allowed one run and it tied the game at 5-4. To make matters worse, outfielder Alex Verdugo fumbled on a fly ball and the costly mistake further made way for a walk-off win for the Orioles. A total mishap!
Naturally, the excitement of securing a series sweep turned into disappointment for Yankees fans with Anthony Volpe’s defensive slip-up at such a crucial moment.
Taking to X, the Yankees Nation exploded with furious responses.
One commenter was upset about Anthony Volpe’s blunder at such a juncture, and was frustrated at how some fans and commentators might still rationalize his actions.
Volpe sucks but yet people keep making excuses for him.
— Rahsaan (@Iverwig) July 14, 2024
Another X user strongly believes that Anthony Volpe is overrated, similar to Derek Jeter. He thinks that Volpe hasn’t lived up to the expectations surrounding him.
Anthony Volpe is the most overrated player in baseball since Derek Jeter.
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) July 14, 2024
A third fan was let down by Volpe’s mistake and drew parallels to Zune, a music player, which struggled against the iPod. He was specifically frustrated because of Volpe’s lapse amid a disappointing offensive season.
Volpe actually just lost us a ballgame on live television with his glove when his bat disappeared like the Zune this year. Just sickening.
— Gary Sheffield Jr. (@GarysheffieldJr) July 14, 2024
A different fan criticized the expectations set for Volpe to match Derek Jeter’s success (Jeter 2.0). They believed Volpe fell short of these standards and proposed that the Yankees should start looking for a different shortstop.
They want Volpe to be Jeter 2.0 so badly but he’s not remotely close. The Yankees need a SS .
— YRKB (@JohnAmendola616) July 14, 2024
Yet another fan thought that Volpe’s error in the game was so crucial that it cost the Yankees not only the game but also potentially the series win.
Volpe chocked big time! That was the game and series won for the Yankees.
— John Litter (@lttrdad62) July 15, 2024
Having said that. concerns about the Yankees’ struggles were compounded by Volpe’s fielding mistake. Although he had a rough start to the season, his hitting has declined noticeably as of late.
After the New York Yankees suffered a loss to the Baltimore Orioles, all eyes fell on manager, Aaron Boone, for his insight into what transpired. However, to date, he has not taken a strict stance or held players accountable, despite fans wanting him to.
Boone Reacts to New York Yankees’ Defensive Choke
Addressing how the New York Yankees stumbled in the ninth inning, Boone talked about various aspects of the game and what he thought of the team’s performance.
He recognized the defensive lapse and attributed it to a miscalculation that led to the crucial home run. Additionally, he even claimed that Clay Holmes was encountering difficulties in the ninth inning, which ultimately resulted in a ground ball and a walk.
Yet, despite all the hurdles, Manager Boone pointed out the Yankees’ winning spirit in the ongoing MLB season and showed hope for a miraculous turnaround post the All-Star break with the right amount of preparation.
