Anthony Volpe is locking into the Yankees' leadoff spot

SAN DIEGO – Aaron Judge went deep again, and Juan Soto once more had Petco Park’s attention – alternately booed and cheered on Saturday night.

Aside from Judge's power show and the electricity created by Soto’s first San Diego appearance since last December’s blockbuster trade, two mainstays contributed to a 4-1 Yankees' win.

There was another sharp effort by a starting pitcher, with Marcus Stroman blanking the Padres over six innings.

And there was Anthony Volpe, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 consecutive games.

“I really don’t even think he’s that hot right now, frankly,’’ manager Aaron Boone said before Friday’s series opener against the Padres.

At that point, Volpe’s hitting streak was at 16 games, and “for much of that, I don’t feel he’s been on fire,’’ said Boone. “He’s just playing at a really high level and we’re seeing a really good player continue to emerge.’’

Anthony Volpe's strong case to remain in the Yankees' leadoff spot

And we’ve seen the sooner-than-later arrival of Volpe as the Yankees’ regular leadoff hitter.

“What Volpe’s been doing in the leadoff spot has been incredible. It’s fun to watch,’’ said Judge, and “he’s still improving, he’s still getting better.’’

DJ LeMahieu was ready to fill that leadoff spot until he fouled a ball off his right foot late in spring training, suffering a fracture.

Working his way back on a minor league rehab assignment, LeMahieu is expected to return to the Yankees’ lineup on Tuesday night at Anaheim.

Boone hasn't said where he plans to bat LeMahieu in the lineup, but the manager suggested Sunday that Volpe would remain in the leadoff spot.

With the Yankees rolling at 20 games over .500 (37-17) entering Sunday, it seems unlikely that Boone would tinker with the Volpe-Soto-Judge top of his batting order.

Including Volpe’s seventh-inning single to right, “he’s using the whole field,’’ said Judge, who also referenced Volpe’s six homers and team-leading 10 stolen bases.

“And he’s one of the best shortstops in the game,’’ said Judge. “We’re lucky to have him and I’m happy he’s hitting in front of Juan.’’

Setting the table for Juan Soto, Aaron Judge

Saturday night began with Volpe lining Dylan Cease’s first pitch for a single to center.

So, he was aboard when Judge continued his own streak – now with a home run in four straight games, one game away from the Yankee captain’s personal mark, set in 2020.

Presented with the Yankees' stat that Judge is the first MLB player in history with at least 12 doubles and 11 homers in a 20-game span, Alex Verdugo said: "That's my season.''

Judge's blast, on 0-2 curveball, was estimated to have traveled 429 feet to left-center, his team-leading 17th homer of the year.

Volpe (2-for-5) had led off Friday’s 8-0 win with a triple, and he’s now batting .333 (26-for-78) during the streak, the longest by a Yankee since Derek Jeter’s 19-game hitting streak in 2012.

“And what he’s been doing defensively’’ at shortstop is at last year’s second half level, when Boone advocated for Volpe to win the Gold Glove Award, which he did.

Juan Soto gets his point across

After being struck out on a 1-2 slider by Cease, ending the third inning, Soto (0-for-4) engaged in a heated argument with plate umpire and crew chief Bill Miller.

According to Boone, who intervened, the lengthy discussion was about Soto’s lingering during his one timeout.

“It’s always kind of a gray area,’’ said Boone, adding that “there’s been a little bit of a mandate not to let guys take too long on a given timeout.’’

That said, “I certainly didn’t feel like Juan was taking too long. But (Miller) was just kind of enforcing that and trying to explain that, and also give Juan his say.’’

Soto flied out, struck out twice and grounded out Saturday, after blasting a two-run homer and lashing a double on Friday night, his Yankee debut at Petco Park, his baseball home from 2022-2023.

Yankees starters "all expecting each other to be great''

Asked about the Yankees starters’ sharp collective effort, Alex Verdugo said “we’ve just been riding their high.’’

After Marcus Stroman’s six shutout innings in Saturday's 4-1 win, the right-hander said that “each guy kind of hands it off to the next guy, and we’re all expecting each other to be great.’’

Stroman had just followed Carlos Rodon’s six shutout innings Friday night, giving Yankees starters a collective 11-1 record and 0.78 ERA in 13 games since May 12.

Plus, “we’re all doing this without having the best pitcher in baseball in Gerrit Cole, who we’re all dying to get back,’’ said Stroman. “It’s been a fun run.’’

Stroman’s best moment Saturday was stranding Jake Cronenworth at third base following a fourth-inning leadoff triple, retiring Manny Machado and David Peralta on shallow fly balls and striking out Jackson Merrill on a 1-2 splitter.

“We know what we’re capable of,’’ said Stroman and their collective confidence is “sky high.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Anthony Volpe is locking into the Yankees' leadoff spot