The Yankees stayed out of two star-studded free-agent shortstop markets the past two offseasons. This was largely about having Anthony Volpe and not wanting to expand payroll at a position they envisioned having a long-term answer arriving soon.

Volpe’s rookie season has included growing pains with too low an average and too many strikeouts, though the before and after numbers around when he essentially fired hitting coach Dillon Lawson a month before Brian Cashman actually did offer some encouragement.

Part of the lore of a rookie season that has seen him often struggle mightily at the plate was a June 11 off-day gathering at the Volpe homestead in New Jersey. The fare was his mom’s chicken parmigiana, but the main course was minor league teammate Austin Wells detecting an alteration in his buddy’s swing. Watching minor league videos, they noticed that Volpe’s stance had grown more open and his swing had a greater uppercut.

Following the meeting, he closed the stance and opened a better chapter for himself.