To say New York Yankees fans haven’t been thrilled with Anthony Volpe’s play lately would be an understatement. Volpe has struggled both at the plate and in the field this season, particularly of late, and with the Yankees reeling, he’s become a punching bag of sorts for the fan base. Manager Aaron Boone has gone out of his way to praise Volpe even amid his slump, but his actions in Friday’s game would suggest he’s finally come to a realization involving his shortstop that his fan base already knows.

With the Yankees down by one run in the ninth inning against the New York Mets, Boone pinch-hit Trent Grisham for Volpe. Grisham wound up lining out, so the move didn’t exactly pay off, but Boone taking this step is eye-opening.

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Aaron Boone is running out of patience with Anthony Volpe

Boone can praise Volpe all he wants, but actions speak louder than words. If he thought Volpe was as good as he says he is whenever he gets the chance, he would not be pinch-hitting for him in any scenario, especially with the game on the line. Boone going to these lengths with Volpe in that spot shows that he clearly doesn’t believe in the bat as much as he says he does.

There’s good reason for this. Volpe has been a below-average hitter this season and in his entire career. He also entered the day with eight hits in his last 63 at-bats (.127 batting average). Pinch-hitting Grisham for him in that spot was objectively the right move even without the results this time around. This is just something Boone has never really done before with Volpe.

Yankees are stuck with Anthony Volpe whether they like it or not

Yankees fans are fed up with Volpe, and Boone doesn’t believe in him enough to let him bat in a huge spot, but the Yankees are pretty stuck with him right now.

On their roster, the team lacks any sort of viable backup option. Oswald Peraza is the only other shortstop on their active roster right now, and he’s less of a threat offensively than Volpe. It’s not as if the newly signed Nicky Lopez is the answer either. Sure, the Yankees could look to make a trade, but with DJ LeMahieu occupying a spot in the infield and the bullpen struggling as much as it is right now, the Yankees should be prioritizing at least those two areas over finding a Volpe upgrade. If Clarke Schmidt has to miss substantial time, the rotation might be another area to prioritize.

The Yankees entered the year expecting Volpe to play a vital role in the team’s success, and with how their roster is constructed, it feels as if Boone has no choice but to play him regularly. If the ninth inning of Friday’s game taught us anything, though, it’s that Boone wishes he had someone else to turn to.