The Yankees look lost at the plate, even as Anthony Volpe improves – The Denver Post

Not even the Athletics and their major league-worst pitching staff could snap the Yankees out of their offensive funk on Tuesday night.

Oakland pitchers held the visiting Yanks to one lonesome run in a 2-1, A’s win. Only Josh Donaldson, in his return from a three-game benching, crossed the plate for the Yankees, as he hit a solo home run in the fifth inning.

The Yankees stopped scoring from there against a team that has a 6.02 ERA, easily the highest mark in baseball. The A’s, meanwhile, celebrated just their 21st win after the Yankees wasted a solid start from Jhony Brito by going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

“We had a couple chances, but again, just not creating enough opportunities for ourselves to breakthrough,” Aaron Boone said after the game, via YES Network. “We gotta get a little more consistent.”

To the contrary, the Yankees’ offense has been consistent — just not in the ways Boone would like.

The Bombers have been lost for some time now, failing to score more than three runs in 13 of their last 18 games. With Aaron Judge out of the lineup since June 4, they’re hitting .198 with a .261 OBP and 57 runs scored. Those are the worst numbers in baseball over that stretch by notable margins.

The Yankees’ .347 slugging percentage is only worse than the Pirates’.

“This is part of it. This is grind time. We gotta get some guys going, and we’re all part of that,” Boone said. “We know we have a higher standard and expect more and know we’re going to be better, but we’re going through it right now a little bit. Overall this month, we’ve had a few guys that have gone through some struggles, but I wouldn’t call it frustration. I’d call it get to work time.

“I know what these guys are capable of.”

The guys in question are Donaldson, Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton, who are all hitting below .200 since Judge injured his right big toe.

While Donaldson’s no-doubter off Paul Blackburn was an encouraging sign for the third baseman, he coincidentally hasn’t picked up a hit in a Yankees win since Opening Day. Rizzo has found more success lately and added a double on Tuesday, but LeMahieu and Stanton weren’t able to build on the run-producing swings they took in Sunday’s win over the Rangers.

Stanton had a chance to play hero Tuesday after Oakland’s Trevor May walked LeMahieu and Rizzo on four pitches each. Stanton got to 3-0, but he ultimately found himself in a full count and grounded a ball to third base.

Aside from Donaldson’s homer, Anthony Volpe provided one additional bright spot for the Yankees’ putrid offense.

While the rookie shortstop was caught stealing for the first time in his MLB career in the seventh inning, he also recorded his first three-hit game. All the knocks were singles, but Volpe is now hitting .314 with a .929 OPS, four doubles, one homer and six walks in 12 games since making the decision to tweak his stance over a chicken parm dinner with Yankees prospect Austin Wells.

“Regardless of the results, the at-bats have felt way better,” Volpe said, via YES. “I just feel a lot more comfortable. So it feels pretty much back to normal.”

Volpe is now hitting .203 this season, still well below his standards. But Boone has noticed improvements from the 22-year-old as well.

“The last week, if you really dig in, Anthony’s [had] a lot of good at-bats,” the manager said. “He’s been getting more hits, but hitting the ball on the nose. Even his first AB today, lines out to the second baseman. So I feel like he’s making some good, solid adjustments. It’s good to see him trending in a good way right now.”

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