When the New York Yankees see their season come to an end, the front office will have some important roster decisions to make.
Key members of the team, including Devin Williams, Trent Grisham and most likely Cody Bellinger, will become free agents and the Yankees will have to decide if they want them back or who they might bring in as replacements. But one player who is destined to remain on the team despite a brutal setback on both offense and defense this season can expect a pay raise.
After posting a career-low .272 on-base percentage and performing as one of the most error-prone players in the American League, Anthony Volpe is heading toward a $3.9 million salary in his first year of arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Volpe earned just $879,000 this season, so that increase would mark a raise of more than 400% despite his regressions on offense and defense. But if the Yankees want to keep him, they’ll have to increase his salary enough to avoid an arbitration hearing or allow a panel to determine his worth.
The Yankees seem likely to work with Volpe’s agent to avoid arbitration, as they have long viewed him as the franchise shortstop. Even during the worst of Volpe’s struggles this year, manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman both publicly defended him.
And, given the $25 million or more going to each of Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Giancarlo Stanton and Carlos Rodon next year, the Yankees might not be pinching pennies when it comes to their shortstop.
But as Volpe progresses toward free agency, he will have to turn his production around or he will find himself off the Yankees payroll sooner or later.
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