Anthony Volpe has stepped up at the right time, delivering key performances during the playoffs after an inconsistent regular season. His contributions helped the Yankees advance to the World Series with a 5-2, 10-inning victory over the Guardians.
Volpe has shown his ability to perform in high-pressure situations, stating that moments like these are why players compete. He has reached base in all nine of the Yankees’ postseason games so far, becoming just the eighth player in Yankees history to accomplish this feat early in his playoff career.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone highlighted Volpe’s excellent at-bats throughout the postseason, even when they haven’t always translated into hits. Boone attributed Volpe’s recent success to the week of workouts leading up to the ALDS, which helped solidify his swing. Volpe’s consistent approach and focus have been crucial to the Yankees’ deep playoff run, with Boone emphasizing that Volpe is a major reason for the team’s success.
In Game 5, Boone made a significant lineup adjustment, using Giancarlo Stanton as the cleanup hitter against a right-handed pitcher for the first time in the postseason. He had been cautious about overloading the lineup with right-handed batters but felt the need to maximize Stanton’s impact with the Guardians’ bullpen struggling. The gamble paid off as Stanton hit a game-tying home run, earning ALCS MVP honors for his role in the Yankees’ victory.
Pitcher Nestor Cortes is also working his way back into the mix after being sidelined with a left elbow flexor strain. Cortes threw around 20 pitches in a live batting practice session against teammates DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera, showing good velocity and command. If he continues to recover without setbacks, Cortes is expected to face hitters again soon, positioning him as a strong candidate to be added to the Yankees’ World Series roster.
Additionally, this postseason has been notable for New York baseball fans as both the Yankees and Mets have won on the same day four times. This achievement had only happened five times previously, during the playoffs in 1999 and 2000. The simultaneous success of both teams has created an exciting atmosphere for New York baseball during this year’s postseason.
