SSTN Mailbag: Arias, Judge, And Playoff Infield!

Today is September 11th, 2026, 25 years since a horrific terrorist attack changed the world in which we live. If you lived in the tri-state area at that time, like myself and likely most of you reading this blog, you knew someone who was either directly impacted by the attacks or tragically lost their lives. This is not the correct forum for a retrospective, but it remains difficult to think about much else on this day each year.

To bring it back to baseball briefly, I won't forget how much it meant to me when baseball returned. It was such a welcome distraction from the devastation and the confusing days that followed. The World Series that year was a tough one for Yankee fans, but in the context of the time, I was more happy to have seen the World Series that year than I was upset that the Yankees lost. Just a week after the conclusion of the World Series, I was in a hospital bed on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, sharing a room with a teenager who came out from Arizona for surgery...wearing his Diamondbacks World Series Championship t-shirt. That might have bothered me 3 months prior, but it just seemed like a funny coincidence in light of what the country had been through.

As always, thanks for the great questions, and keep them coming to SSTNReadermail@gmail.com. In this week's SSTN Mailbag, we'll talk about Roderick Arias' comeback season, Aaron Judge's return, and organizing the playoff infield! Let's get at it:

Brad S. asks: Arias was once considered one of the very best international signings, but it has taken him a while to make any progress. He is now just 21 and playing in AA as a switch-hitting infielder. What are scouts saying?

It is almost shocking to realize that Roderick Arias is still just 21 years old. Arias was signed way back in 2022, and count me among the many who were struck by prospect fatigue on Arias. He has always had loud raw tools, but often lacked the experience and natural instincts to allow those tools to shine in games. 2025 was genuinely rock-bottom for Arias, whose free-swinging ways kept him from making any impact at the plate. Coming into 2026, it looked as though the Yankees were shifting towards viewing him as a utility org guy as opposed to a prospect worth keeping in mind for future seasons.

Arias has smashed that perception this year. The underlying concerns about Arias remain, and scouts who have spoken publicly about Arias have maintained those concerns. However, while the underlying statistics remain ugly in terms of Arias' chase rate, in-zone swinging strike rate, and overall strikeout rate, Arias' swing decisions and bat path have improved, allowing Arias to do more damage on the pitches on which he makes contact. He has always hit the ball very hard, particularly for a middle infielder, and now he's lifting the ball with authority when he hits the ball hard. Arias won't find himself on any top-100 lists this offseason, nor do I expect scouts to start talking about Arias like a top prospect, but his play has put him back on the Yankees' prospect map.

This is a reminder that progression isn't linear. Sometimes, it takes guys with loud tools time to figure things out. Sometimes, there are bumps in the road. Arias has tools that make him worth waiting on. He has a big arm in the infield, speed, and decent hands. He's been adept at moving around the infield this year, and I think on tools alone, most scouts give him a shot at the big leagues.

The big question is similar to the question we've asked about Spencer Jones: can he do enough damage on the contact he does make that the trade-off works? Swing and miss will always be a huge part of Arias' game, but he's showing the ability to grow this season. I hope it continues.

Michael S. asks: Thoughts on Judge's first plate appearances since coming back?

Obviously, it's huge just to have Aaron Judge back. I think that Rice, Bellinger, and Garcia all got better pitches to hit against the Rockies just because of Judge's presence at the top of the lineup. He makes everyone around him better, and I'm thrilled to see him back.

How does Judge look? Very rusty. Yes, he got two hits, which was great to see. He also fouled off or swung through multiple middle-middle hangers that he usually hits 450 feet when he's in mid-season form. Luckily, he has roughly a Spring Training sized runway of games to get himself to that level of hitting by the playoffs. It's Aaron Judge; I feel pretty good about him figuring out how to be productive in September and October.

David B. asks: Sorry for the late question, but I have to ask. Volpe is up now that Chisholm is on the IL and looked great in his first game back. What if Volpe continues his tear from AAA in September with the Yankees. How do the Yankees handle that when Chisholm returns? Do you send a hot hitter to the bench?

First, I just want to say that Volpe's Grand Slam last night might have been the happiest I've been all season. I feel so bad for that guy, and he clearly works hard and wants desperately to be successful. Hearing him say that he didn't think he'd ever make it back to the Yankees was heartbreaking, so good for Volpe.

Many around here have likely forgotten this, but Jazz Chisholm was mighty hot for a couple of weeks leading up to his jammed thumb. Jazz had a 1.000+ OPS over his previous 45ish at-bats. That's pretty awesome, and more like the guy we know Jazz can be. I am firmly of the belief that having an embarrassment of riches is a good problem to have. I'd love it if Volpe rakes over the next two weeks, as it gives the Yankees options.

Everyone talked a lot about the fact that Volpe played a lot of 2B down at AAA. Do you know where else he looked very good? 3B. Do I think that's his ideal position? No. Do I think he can handle the position well? Yes, having watched him throw from there in AAA. If Volpe proves that his recent performance isn't a mirage, I think the best Yankee infield might have Volpe at 3B, Lombard at SS, Chisholm at 2B, and Garcia at 1B. Then you choose between Rosario and McMahon for the bench.

I hope Volpe forces this conversation to be a reality.