The Yankees Need Jazz Chisholm Jr. Back as Soon as Possible

From the day he was traded to the New York Yankees, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was everything the Bronx Bombers could have asked for.

He was the missing link that the lineup needed. Providing dynamic speed, power, and athleticism, Chisholm was a breath of fresh air for fans who had not seen a Yankee with this combination of skills in quite some time.

Having the ability to play all three outfield positions, middle infield, and third base, Chisholm quickly became a key piece of the lineup after he was added to the roster.

He explained, “This is what I live for. I love the lights. I love the big crowds. I love everything like that. So it’s super exciting. I’m enjoying it.” (Per Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch.)

Jazz was the solution to several issues the Yankees needed to address. Unfortunately, his recent elbow injury brings the team back to square one.

What Jazz Chisholm Jr. Offers the Yankees in the Infield

Anthony Volpe has been the Yankees’ only truly consistent infielder, thanks to his excellent defensive performance. Thus, the team was in desperate need of another reliable infielder.

Chisholm answered their cries for help. He was originally a middle infielder for the Marlins before he transitioned to center field in 2023.

Leading into this year’s trade deadline, the Marlins plugged him back in at second base occasionally. The Yankees were searching for answers at third base, and Jazz became the solution.

Chisholm had never played third base prior to joining the Yankees, but being the natural athlete he is, he fit right in. His quick reaction time and strong arm made the transition easy.

While he had some occasional hiccups at his new position, he immediately became the top option to play third base, playing the hot corner in 13 of his first 14 games with New York.

After this season, current second baseman Gleyber Torres is expected to depart in free agency, and Chisholm will take over the position. Jazz is under contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

What Jazz Chisholm Jr. Offers the Yankees in the Outfield

Center field has long been a question mark for the Yankees.

Yes, Aaron Judge has the ability to play the position, but that is not truly where he belongs. To preserve his future and limit injuries, the Yankees would ideally get him in a corner outfield position or plug him in as the designated hitter.

Moreover, the Yankees don’t really want to depend on Trent Grisham to be the everyday center fielder. Chisholm gives manager Aaron Boone another option in center field. He offers more speed and athleticism than either Judge or Grisham.

Per Baseball Savant, Chisholm ranks in the 85th percentile for sprint speed. He has 1 OAA in the outfield this season, and he has contributed another run of value with his strong throwing arm.

Chisholm has only appeared in the outfield for New York twice so far, but still, it was nice to know that he was an option if necessary.

What Jazz Chisholm Jr. Offers the Yankees On Offense

At the Plate

Chisholm stepped into the Yankees lineup and immediately made a name for himself. He was the talk of baseball as he launched homer after homer to begin his Yankees tenure.

In 14 games with the Yankees, Chisholm has a .316 BA, .361 OBP, .702 SLG, and a 1.063 OPS. The biggest stage in baseball was no challenge for Jazz, as he racked up seven home runs, 11 RBI and five stolen bases.

His electric batting approach seemed to boost the entire Yankees lineup, too. From the day Jazz was activated on July 28 to his last game before hitting the IL on August 12, Judge hit .449 with five home runs and a 1.387 OPS. As a team, the Yankees led the AL in runs per game and all three triple-slash categories.

With Chisholm in the middle of the lineup, opposing pitchers had more to worry about when facing the Yankees. That likely led to better pitches to hit for the players surrounding Jazz, Judge, and Juan Soto in the lineup.

On the Bases

Not only did Chisholm do damage with his bat, but he caused havoc on the basepaths, something the Yankees desperately needed.

Volpe has been their only true base-stealer for most of the season, so Chisholm’s speed and aggressiveness immediately generated more scoring opportunities.

His smart and bold style put him in a position to score quite often. He is one of only 12 players with at least 25 stolen bases and 50 runs scored this season.

Chisholm’s threatening speed also distracts pitchers and forces the defense to turn their attention toward him rather than focus solely on the batter.

While his aggressive baserunning generated greater offense for the Yankees, it also, unfortunately, led to the UCL injury he sustained while sliding headfirst into home plate, ultimately landing him on the 10-day IL.

Now What?

Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza have filled in at third base thus far since Chisholm’s injury. The rest of New York’s lineup and defensive alignment have remained largely unchanged.

In a perfect world, the Yankees would replace Jazz’s production at the plate and speed on the basepaths by calling up top prospect Jasson Domínguez to play the outfield. While that seems like the logical solution for a team trying to make a playoff push, the front office has been hesitant to promote the prized prospect.

Management is seemingly resistant to the idea of decreasing Alex Verdugo’s playing time to get Domínguez more opportunities. It’s hard to understand why, Since May 1, 141 players have taken at least 300 plate appearances. Verdugo’s .274 OBP ranks 136 out of those 141 players.

It seems simple to put Dominguez, Judge, and Soto in the outfield with Stanton as DH and Verdugo coming off the bench to play some LF and occasional DH. That would be the best way to replace Jazz’s offensive production.

Thankfully, Chisholm is highly optimistic he won’t miss much time. He claims he can be back when his minimum time on the IL is up later this week.

Other reports aren’t quite so optimistic – the Yankees are hoping to have him back by early September, per Jon Heyman and Greg Joyce of the New York Post – but still, it seems the talented young player has avoided a worst-case scenario.

That’s great news for the Yankees. If they expect to win the division and build some positive momentum heading into the postseason, they’ll need Jazz Chisholm Jr. back as soon as possible.