The New York Yankees are 28-19 and in first place in the American League East heading into Wednesday's action. Considering this offseason was their Plan B after losing Juan Soto, things are in a good place. They just took two games from Soto's Mets, went 4-2 on a road trip, and have the Red Sox and Dodgers coming up on the schedule. But not everything is perfect. Yankees fans are frustrated with Anthony Volpe, Devin Williams, and Marcus Stroman this season and have every right to be.

The story of this Yankees season so far has been the unlikely hero. Ben Rice, Trent Grisham, and Paul Goldschmidt have all excelled to support Aaron Judge in the lineup. Max Fried is an AL Cy Young candidate with a 6-0 record in nine starts. And Luke Weaver continues to dominate out of the bullpen. Volpe, Williams, and Stroman represent what needs to change for the Yankees to get back to the World Series.

Anthony Volpe's offense is still dreadful

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) follows through on an RBI doubt against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium
Brad Penner-Imagn Images

As a rookie in 2023, Anthony Volpe hit 20 homers, stole 20 bags, and won the Gold Glove at shortstop. While there were still concerns offensively, and some growth was needed, it was a good start. His 2024 campaign was not much better offensively, and his defense wobbled at points. This year, he has made some costly errors and has been dreadful in key situations. If Volpe is going to be the Yankees' shortstop for a generation, he needs to figure out his offense.

Many Yankees fans thought he may have cracked the code early this year, with a 1.069 OPS and 12 RBIs through nine games. In the 37 games since, Volpe has regressed to where he was last year, with a .218 batting average and .656 OPS. Brian Cashman passed up opportunities to add a shortstop in free agency, citing Volpe's excellence. He has not made that decision worth it so far in his MLB career. Fans are fed up because of what happened on Sunday against the Mets, with two uncompetitive at-bats with the bases loaded.

This is not the Devin Williams that Yankees fans were promised

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Part of the pivot after losing Juan Soto was trading for Milwaukee Brewers' closer Devin Williams. Considered one of the top relievers in the league, the Yankees traded Nestor Cortes and prospect Caleb Durbin to get him. In 2024, Bombers closer Clay Holmes tied the record for blown saves in a season. Williams came in as one of the best and got off to a miserable start, losing the closer role.

In ten appearances before the change, Williams pitched eight innings, allowed 12 hits and 12 runs while only striking out seven. In 21.2 innings last regular season, he allowed just three runs. His fastball command was miserable, which made his Airbender changeup less valuable. Williams is an unrestricted free agent after this season and could get a massive payday, but has not earned it in pinstripes yet.

Since losing the closer role, Williams has shut out the opponent in nine of his ten appearances. He has been setting up Luke Weaver, who is dominating in the closer role. Could this be the setup for the remainder of the season? If so, it will be a frustrating season for the Yankees, who thought they were getting an elite closer.

Marcus Stroman continues miserable Bronx career

Marcus Stroman has not pitched in over a month, yet still finds himself on this list. In his three starts, he threw only 9.1 innings and allowed 12 runs. That includes his final start in a driving rainstorm against the San Francisco Giants. He allowed five runs and only got two outs in a blowout loss at home. After a poor season last year and not making a postseason appearance, there were trade rumors in the offseason. He stuck with the team and was terrible before going on the injured list.

This injury likely washes out any chance that Stroman can reach the 150 innings that would have triggered an extra year of his contract. That should excite Yankee fans, especially with how well Will Warren is pitching lately. But if he does come back this year, no fan will trust him in a big game.

Things are going well for the Yankees, but no baseball team is ever perfect. Volpe, Williams, and Stroman are hearing it from the fans and will continue to until they turn things around.