Anthony Volpe wastes both ABS challenges in one at-bat for RailRiders

Anthony Volpe is in a grind to get back to the big leagues, and his ABS performance Wednesday won’t help his cause.

The New York Yankees sent the shortstop to the minor leagues earlier this month to bring up top shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. because Volpe has never quite hit the ground running as a former top prospect himself.

Despite his struggles, Volpe had actually induced a healthy walk rate in his time with the big league club this season, but one would not think that given his first at-bat with Triple-A Scranton Wednesday.

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Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field July 31, 2026, in Chicago. (George Gaza/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Volpe saw three straight balls to begin the game and then took what he thought was ball four. It was called a strike, but Volpe challenged the call in hopes of getting on first base.

He was wrong.

The next pitch was an off-speed pitch that looked much more out of the zone than the previous pitch. But, given what had just occurred, he did not want to take the risk of losing both challenges at the start of the game.

Well, that’s exactly what he did on the next pitch. He challenged strike three and was wrong again.

So, the team was out of challenges after just one batter.

He made up for it with a triple later on in the night, but it was not enough in the RailRiders’ 11-3 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

New York Yankees infielder Anthony Volpe throws the ball to first base during a spring training game against the Toronto Blue Jays Feb. 26, 2023, at the TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Fla. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Volpe has hit well since being demoted, hitting .304 (7-for-23) with a double, triple and homer. He has recorded at least one hit in each of his five games since being sent down.

In the majors this year, he was hitting .240 with a career-high .325 on-base percentage, but his .322 slugging percentage was the worst of his career. He had hit just one home run in 56 games.

Lombard, meanwhile, is hitting .320 with a .953 OPS in his first seven games as a major leaguer and had the exact opposite ABS fate as Volpe a couple of nights ago, correctly challenging two strike-three calls to draw a walk.

Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees throws his helmet during the seventh inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium July 4, 2026, in New York City. (Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)

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Volpe has been working at second base since being sent to the minors, perhaps showing the Yankees’ hand for his future with the team.

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