The New York Yankees are neck-deep in a heated AL East race, chasing the Toronto Blue Jays by just three games.

Every at-bat matters in September, but injuries to key stars have forced the Yankees into uncomfortable decisions at the worst time.

Volpe’s struggles finally explained

Anthony Volpe’s benching didn’t come as a surprise for anyone watching his struggles, but the injury context changes everything.

The 24-year-old has been playing through a partially torn labrum since May, grinding through pain while his numbers collapsed.

Volpe is hitting just .206/.268/.393, a far cry from the offensive production the Yankees expected entering his third major-league season.

Though his throwing and swing mechanics look relatively intact, the discomfort has clearly sapped his confidence and d

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