Yankees’ Anthony Volpe puts on stolen base show with three-steal game

Anthony Volpe on Saturday became the first Yankee to steal three bases in one game since Ichiro Suzuki did so on Sept. 19, 2012 — when Volpe was 11 years old.

The young Yankees shortstop showed more signs of breaking through at the plate and quickly has established himself as a premier baserunner, which again was on display during the 6-1 win over the Twins in The Bronx.

Volpe reached base three times and represented a threat in each instance.

In the second inning, Volpe walked and used a technique that has gained popularity around the league — staying close to the bag before making a large shuffle step toward the next base and then taking off — to swipe second.

DJ LeMahieu then singled to right to drive in Volpe.

“A lot of the work of the coaching staff and all the scouting departments — they work really hard to try and look for windows and they keep us prepared,” Volpe said after he became the fourth Yankee in the past 34 years to record six steals through the first 15 games of a season (joining Jacoby Ellsbury in 2014, Brett Gardner in 2010 and Derek Jeter in 1998).

Volpe reached again in the eighth, when he singled and stole both second and third base, where he was stranded.

The steals are becoming a bigger part of his game perhaps because he is reaching base more often.

The 21-year-old, who started slowly at bat, has reached base in seven of 15 plate appearances over the past four games.

“He’s gotten really good at being under control while also being super aggressive and working his momentum out there,” manager Aaron Boone said of Volpe. “He’s just really heady and really good at it, and he causes problems when he gets on the bases.”

Josh Donaldson is eligible to be activated from the 10-day injured list Sunday, but Boone was cagey on the Yankees’ plans for the third baseman.

Boone declared Donaldson “healthy and ready to go,” but was not definitive concerning whether Donaldson would come off the IL immediately.

The Yankees have Monday off, which could lead them to wait until Tuesday to officially bring Donaldson back. Boone mentioned a rehab assignment as another possibility for Donaldson, who strained his right hamstring running the bases on April 5.

“We’ll have those conversations here today, tomorrow, the next day, whatever,” Boone said. “But physically, he’s doing really well.”

Donaldson, who has hit and ran the bases Saturday, has no box left to check off physically.

The 37-year-old was 2-for-16 with a home run before the injury surfaced after a down season last year.

In his stead, DJ LeMahieu has played most often at third base, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Oswaldo Cabrera also getting starts at the spot.

Whenever Donaldson is activated, the Yankees again would have a crowded infield, with three players — LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres and Donaldson — competing for at-bats at two spots.

The roster would have to be trimmed, too, subtracting one bat from a bench that includes Cabrera, Kiner-Falefa, Aaron Hicks, Willie Calhoun and Franchy Cordero.

After he missed three games with a tight quad, LeMahieu returned to the lineup and went 1-for-4 with an RBI single.

In recognition of Jackie Robinson Day, the Yankees hosted the 2023 class of the Yankees-CUNY (City University of New York) Sport Management Mentoring Program.

Everyone across baseball wore No. 42.

“One of the most important figures in American history, when you look at it,” Boone said. “Obviously amazing athlete, but so much more than that.”