If there’s one person who knows how to play shortstop for the New York Yankees, it’s Derek Jeter. But after his Game 4 World Series performance, Anthony Volpe is proving the Yankees have another shortstop phenom in their ranks.
Volpe’s third inning grand slam ultimately drove in the winning runs in New York’s 11-4 victory. After the game, Jeter made time to give Volpe his flowers.
The grand slam couldn’t have come at a more crucial time, with the Yankees now trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1. They must replicate their success in Game 5 for their season to continue. But if Volpe can keep up his heroics, New York will be feeling more confident.
The shortstop went 2-for-3 overall with his four RBI and three runs scored. It brought his postseason batting average up to .273. The grand slam was his first home run, but Volpe has driven in six runs and stolen five bases. He has turned it up during the World Series with five of those RBI and three of his stolen bags coming against the Dodgers.
Derek Jeter was a .308 postseason hitter during his 16 years with the Yankees. He hit 20 home runs, drove in 61 runs and stole 18 bases during his playoff tenure. It helped him win five World Series in the midst of his Hall of Fame career.
Related New York Yankees NewsArticle continues below
Anthony Volpe is still looking for his first and will need to will the Yankees to three straight wins to be successful. His batting average has been down during the regular season, as a .228 hitter. However, he has been a menace on the basepaths with 52 steals. Volpe also has 33 regular season home runs, proving on Tuesday that he could be a source of power for New York.
The Yankees can’t count on a Volpe grand slam every night, but it certainly caught the attention of Jeter and their fans. Volpe, Jeter and all Yankee fans enter Game 5 hoping their team can pull off some magic once more.