The New York Yankees experimented with Anthony Volpe at third base for the first time in his major league career during Friday’s opener of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles. Despite the team’s 10-2 loss, the move provided Volpe with valuable experience as the postseason approaches.

Volpe started at third base, commonly known as the hot corner, but saw very little action defensively throughout the game. The first ball hit in his direction came in the ninth inning, when a grounder bounced off the base and sailed over his head, leaving him no opportunity to make a play. Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged the game’s value in helping Volpe acclimate to the new position and said the young infielder could see more time there if Sunday’s weather permits.

Volpe expressed confidence in his comfort level at third base, noting the support he received from teammate Ryan McMahon, infield coach Dan Fiorito, Triple-A infield coach Gil Velasquez, and former teammate Oswaldo Cabrera. “No matter where you play, you’ve got to anticipate and know where you have to be,” Volpe said, adding that he has been able to absorb the necessary adjustments quickly.

The doubleheader served multiple purposes for the Yankees as they continue to prepare their roster for the playoffs. Before Friday’s games, Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham faced left-handed pitcher Ryan Weathers in a sort of informal tryout aimed at assessing their health and readiness for the wild-card roster. Weathers threw one inning — roughly 20 pitches — marking his first pitching appearance since being diagnosed with a left forearm flexor strain last month.

Stanton and Grisham faced live pitching for the second time in three days, with additional at-bats against minor league left-hander Xavier Rivas that occurred while Weathers was on the mound. Their performances are critical as the Yankees look to finalize their postseason roster.

To manage workload during the 18 innings scheduled for Friday, the Yankees called upon several pitchers who had recently been promoted from the minors, including Brendan Beck, Yerry de los Santos, and Alexander Cornielle. Beck started the first game, and none of the innings were allocated to Carlos Lagrange, allowing the team to preserve its core pitching staff ahead of the playoffs.