The New York Yankees are in desperate need of a spark.
After an MLB-best 50-22 start, the Yankees stopped hitting and pitching, leaving fans dreaming of another World Series parade. Over a six-week span, they lost 23 of 34 games, and the July 30 trade deadline was quickly approaching.
On July 27, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman pushed the right buttons, trading three rookie players to the Miami Marlins for infielder/outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Jazz Chisholm Jr.), whose charisma, flamboyant style and exciting baseball style ignited a fire under the staid Bronx Bombers.
Chisholm, 26, was thrust into the New York lights as the face of the Marlins and a 2022 All-Star selection, which seemed to enhance his shine.
Will Chisholm be the catalyst for the Bronx’s deep playoff run? If his first week is any reflection on his impact on the Yankees, the answer is yes.
All Chisholm did was hit two home runs in a row while hitting .300 with eight RBIs. New York defeated Boston in the series and swept Philadelphia in three games.
“Honestly, it’s a good place for him,” Don Mattingly, who coached Chisholm with the Marlins from 2020-22, told the New York Post. “I just think he likes the spotlight. I think it’s better for him. (Aaron) Judge and those guys around him — he’s a really good player.
Chisholm not only thrived offensively in his new home, but he also impressed manager Aaron Boone with his stellar play at third base, something he had never played in the majors. s position.
“If you didn’t know any better, you would say Sir Chisholm is one of the best defenders in the league,” Boone told MLB Network Radio.
Boone also revealed that Chisholm, never lacking in confidence, recently told him, “Man, I think I was born to play third base.”
Under team control through 2026, Chisholm appears to have the grit to thrive in one of baseball’s toughest cities, unlike several other players before him.
During a press conference before the first home game, he showed off his playful side by wearing a T-shirt with “314” emblazoned on the front, representing the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium.
“I think it would be fun,” he told reporters. “Anyway, I don’t think all my home runs hit the right outfield line. Most of my home runs went from right-center field to center field. So obviously I was just kidding about the 314 shirt.
Chisholm made two postseason appearances with the Marlins but only had one playoff series victory, so he was motivated to become a key cog in the Yankees’ pursuit of a 28th World Series title.
“It’s more about playing for championships, playing for rings, and other people in the club believing we can get rings,” he said. “It’s more exciting to be with the guys I’m with now, like Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, who can push me to be the best I can be.”
