Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back… and he brings with him the flare that Miami’s been missing.
Guess Who’s Back in The ….House !! https://t.co/6XXcKKIVEg
— MLBbro.com (@MLBbrodotcom) June 28, 2023
Chisholm had been on the 10-day injured list because of turf toe in his right foot that’s been bothering him since mid-May. He was activated on June 25 and played his first game on June 27 in Boston against the Red Sox and in the three games he’s played since his return, he’s made an immediate impact batting 5 for 12 with two home runs, five RBI, and he even scored four runs. The Marlins have won all three games since Jazz has been back and are currently on a five-game win streak.
He’s also returned urban drip and melanated swag to the M-I-A baseball culture.
Chisholm was off to a pretty slow start offensively before going on the IL, having slashed .229/.291/.403, with just seven homers in 39 games. His hot return has brought that slashline up to .244/.304/.449. Before the injury, he had stolen 14 bases, which is by far the most on the team despite his having missed six-weeks. His thefts represent about a quarter of the team’s 54 stolen bases. He hasn’t swiped one so far since returning, but it’ll be interesting to see when he’ll start to light up the basepaths once again.
Jazz played second base throughout his first three seasons in Miami, but the team decided to move him to centerfield, where he’s played every single game this season. The move to the outfield helps the Marlins utilize his elite speed on defense as opposed to only showcasing it on offense, as he’s already made a couple of spectacular catches covering a ton of ground.
The move to centerfield also allows for the addition of Luis Arraez from Minnesota at second base. He’s batting nearly .400 up to this point, and is the starting second baseman for the NL All-Star team. He’s also an early NL MVP frontrunner.
Jazz Chisholm Return Right On Time
Chisholm’s return couldn’t have come at a better time. Miami is one of the most surprising teams in the league this year, as they currently have a 48-34 record, six games back of the Braves in the division race, but are at the top of the wild card standings, four games ahead of all the teams on the outside looking in.
As the All-Star break approaches, the Marlins have a total of ten games before they rest, and they are some crucial ones. They start with a three-game series in Atlanta to potentially make up some ground in the division race. Next, they have a four-game series in Miami against one of the most disappointing teams this year in the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, they wrap it up with three games at home against the Philadelphia Phillies, who are just a game and a half out of that last Wild Card spot and have been pretty hot as of late.
With the emergence of Arraez, the Marlins seem to be putting Chisholm in the middle of the order. They’re going to need that natural swagger and electricity from their star player to make sure Miami stays hot, and for the team to be in great shape come All-Star break.
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