For weeks now, fans have watched the same sequence of play out: a grounder mishandled, a throw off-mark, a bat gone silent. In 99 games this season, Anthony Volpe is slashing just .216/.288/.398, stats that would not uplift an eyebrow on a rebuilding bullpen, let alone one with October ambitions. Defensively, he has committed 12 errors, including a critical misfire in a loss to Toronto. Still, Aaron Boone refuses to reposition. “We’re talking about a few extra errors,” he told reporters, words that immediately raised eyebrows across the baseball universe.

That tone deaf defense did not go unnoticed. In a blazing New York Post segment, Brandon London blasted the Yankees brass: “All eyes are going to be on what you guys do at the trade deadline to fix this shortstop situation… Aaron Boone, this cannot be the hill that you die on.” That statement, comparing Boone’s protection of Volpe to Robert Saleh’s infamous loyalty to Zach Wilson, hit home for many fans. And the backlash did not just stop there. A-Rod himself agreed, saying, “You just cannot win a World Series with a player hitting .215.” Harsh? Maybe. Honest? Absolutely.

However, there is a thing—it is not just the number. It is the disconnect between Aaron Boone’s statement and Volpe’s outcomes that is driving this backlash. Boone called the star a “top shortstop” and implied Volpe’s struggles were overblown noise. However, when you are hitting .140 over the last month and your fielding guides the league in miscues, it is tough to call the criticism unfair. The frustration it not just related to one star’s slump, it is related to the team refusing to react.

And this frustration is reaching a boiling point. Robert Casey of Bleeding Yankees Blue did not stop, calling Aaron Boone “Volpe’s biggest brainwashed cheerleader,” writing, “It’s not only misguided, it’s crazy and delusional.” The thought is not shifting quietly anymore—it is exploding. And as the team continues to slide, one thing is clear: this is not just related to Volpe—it is related to the people enabling the star to play through it unchecked.

As frustration around the infield brews and Anthony Volpe’s leash grows shorter by the day, the force is not confined to just one position. In fact, there is another fire quietly spreading in the Yankees and it is coming from the bullpen.

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Yankees target bullpen fix as Clase trade rumor gains steam

While the attention could be on the shortstop debate, the team has another pressing concern boiling over, the bullpen. Since early June, the Yankees have fallen to 21st in bullpen ERA and 15th in WHIP, roughly the makings of a team with World Series aspirations. With Devin Williams and Luke Weaver set to hit free agency, the relief corps is wobbling. This is why current buzz connecting the team to Guardians’ closer Emmanuel Clase has fans and insiders raising their eyebrows.

Emmanuel Clase, a three-time All-Star and two-time AL Reliever of the Year, has been lights-out lately, just 1 earned run in his last 13 outings, and appears to be regaining his elite form. Yahoo’s Russell Dorsey believes now may be the perfect time for a candidate such as New York to strike. With Clase under team control through 2028 and making only $6.4 million next season, it is a financially friendly deal for the Yankees, if they are willing to meet Cleveland’s likely high asking price.

The Yankees have been identified to flex their big-market muscle when the team wants to and Clase fits all the needs and the window. However, the concern remains—after weeks of hesitation around underperforming talent, will the team finally pull the trigger and make a decisive move before the clock runs out?

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