Yankees' Anthony Volpe mysteriously scratched minutes before series finale vs Astros

Good news: the New York Yankees have begun the 2024 season 3-0, notching three consecutive comeback wins over the hated Houston Astros. Now, Jon Berti will make his debut with the team in Sunday's season finale, an optimal time to get his feet wet and give a regular some rest.

Bad news: Berti isn't coming in for Gleyber Torres, who's struggled to begin the season and was struck on the thumb in Friday night's win.

Instead, he'll replace Anthony Volpe in the lineup, who was originally included in Sunday's order up until about an hour before first pitch. Oswaldo Cabrera, red hot through the season's opening series, will shift over to shortstop, while Berti will cover third.

After about 10 tense minutes, Jack Curry delivered the report all Yankees fans were looking for: stomach issues. Shouldn't be a long-term problem. Rest up. Get well.

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe scratched with upset stomach, will miss finale vs Houston

Notably, Volpe went to Mexico for the Yankees' final series of exhibition games. Stereotypically, not a great look.

Berti's skill set (speed, contact, gnat-type qualities) is evocative of Volpe's game, and the Yankees hopefully won't miss too many beats when he needs to absorb duty over the course of the year. It's also encouraging, somewhat, that Volpe was expected to play this morning, then bowed out. It could be something minor, or it could be something that afflicted him over the course of the past few hours.

Better to be safe than sorry while riding a hot streak, but after the Yankees have already breathed in, held their breath, and exhaled repeatedly through a series of foiled injury concerns (Juan Soto's cramps, Torres' thumb, DJ LeMahieu's scans), it feels good that there wasn't something more insidious at work here.

Through a minuscule three-game sample size, Volpe has certainly been among the notable Yankees showing growth potential year-over year. His first homer of the campaign came on Saturday as a bit of late insurance, and his three walks on Opening Day served as a pretty clear symbol that Yankee fans might be seeing a new man in the shortstop's sophomore year. Hopefully, Sunday's just a speed bump in a powerhouse follow-up, with the Yankees offense under new management.