​On Tuesday, Michael Kay reported a rumor claiming that Anthony Volpe refused to move to second base when the Yankees asked him to switch positions while he was in the minor leagues. Volpe was quizzed about the rumor on Tuesday, and he made it abundantly clear that nothing of the sort ever occurred. He said it caught him off guard and that it is simply not true. “It couldn’t be further from the truth,” Volpe stated, noting that he had already conveyed this clearly to Aaron Boone and the rest of the team. He described the spread of the claim as “B.S.” and added that he hopes his teammates know his character after three-plus years together, stressing that he would do anything to help the team win, “literally anything.” He added that he feels he’s defending himself over something that never happened.
He also invited readers to share their takes and engage with the growing Yankees community, alongside staff and fans. If the rumor had any basis, Volpe would have appeared justifiably upset, but the basis for his outrage is that the rumor is false and appears to have been circulated by credible outlets before Kay’s clarification.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kay used X to acknowledge that the information he initially reported was incorrect and that Volpe never refused to switch positions. He tweeted, “I spoke of a rumor yesterday on TMKS that Anthony Volpe would not play 2B in the minors. Sounded unlike him, so I checked further today and there is absolutely no truth to it whatsoever. He never refused to work at second.”
Volpe has earned a Gold Glove at shortstop, but his defensive performance has declined in recent seasons. When asked if he would be open to playing other positions beyond shortstop, he left little room for doubt. “I still have no problem playing second,” Volpe said on Wednesday. “I want to be here, and I want to help the team win the World Series. That’s literally all I want. So for anything opposite to be put out there, it’s kind of confusing. It’s not true. It’d be one thing if I really felt that way, but I’ve never felt that way.”