HOUSTON — The Yankees’ shortstop ranged deep into the hole and backhanded the ground ball.
He took a step and leaped off his left leg, generating every bit of power he could from his arm as he threw across his body and across the diamond.
It was a play Anthony Volpe had watched Derek Jeter make countless times.
It was a play Volpe had practiced as a child “probably every time,” he said, that he took ground balls.
The Yankees sure hope Volpe continues to progress and becomes the second coming of No. 2. Volpe sure looked like his hero during the fifth inning Saturday night.
Volpe, a New York native who grew up in New Jersey, channeled his idol during the 5-4 win over the Astros at Minute Maid Park.
“Took a page out of his guy’s book — Jeets was his guy,” said manager Aaron Boone, who as a player had watched from third base as Volpe’s guy made that same play again and again. “I’m sure he’s seen that a lot in his mind and his dreams.”
The hitter made the moment a bit more impressive. Mauricio Dubon, who chopped the ball into the shortstop hole, has good speed.
Some shortstops might stop to set their feet.
Some shortstops might sidearm as their momentum takes them into the outfield.
A shortstop who grew up trying to be Jeter fields, jumps and throws the ball — and it reached first baseman DJ LeMahieu on the fly, retiring Dubon by a split-second.
“I think maybe over time, it becomes just like a reaction,” Volpe said of his decision to jump. “I just messed around in practice [with the jump] a lot.”
It helped Jhony Brito pitch a clean inning, and it represented one more data point for Boone’s campaign that his shortstop should be talked about as among the best in the sport.
During spring training, Volpe sometimes played second base in deference to Oswald Peraza, who has a stronger arm.
But Volpe won the shortstop job and, after a spotty first couple of months this season, he has grown defensively and has made just about every play on balls he reaches.
Boone reiterated that Volpe should be “right smack in the middle of the Gold Glove conversation.”
Jeter jumped his way into highlight after highlight to bring down five Gold Gloves.
“It was a really good play with a good runner,” Boone said. “He continues to just be super special on defense for us.”