NEW YORK – Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. did some Jazzy things during the Yankees’ 8-3 victory over the Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon.
While going 2-for-4 in the game, Chisholm played “small ball, big ball and Jazz ball,” according to manager Aaron Boone. In the second inning, Chisholm played small ball, when he advanced Spencer Jones from second to third base after Chisholm grounded out to first baseman Vladimir Guerrero. Jones would later score on a double by Austin Wells.
Four innings later, Chisholm did a little thing once again and had a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Chisholm would later score during the frame on a two-run single by Ben Rice.
Then it was time for the monster shot in the bottom of the seventh. Against lefty Brendan Little, Chisholm swung at a 1-2 pitch – a slider – and drilled it into the right field seats to increase New York’s lead to 7-2.
“I’m just going out there and working to help my teammates win. I’m just trying to barrel up the ball and not strike out,” Chisholm said.
That last at-bat was a big deal because he often whiffs against the southpaws. He has 51 strikeouts in 133 at-bats against them.
“Some lefties have given him trouble this year,” manager Aaron Boone said. “That’s another good, tough at-bat against a tough left on left guy.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Has Every Reason To Go On A Tear After All-Star Break: There’s Growth In Struggle
If the Yankees want to go far in the postseason, they need Chisholm to be consistent at the plate. Remember, this is the same MLBbro who said during Spring Training that he was going to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases. Chisholm had a good reason to be high on himself. Last year, he put up the best numbers of his career, going 30-30 in homers and steals and had a career high in bWAR (4.1).
Why not have those dreams?
But he is having his worst season. Chisholm will likely reach 50 stolen bases, but there is no chance he will reach the 50-homer plateau. He now has 18 bombs and – to make matters worse – he has a .220 batting average. Keep in mind that Chisholm is a free agent after the season and declined to say if that has affected him at the plate.
“It’s baseball… I’m not lucky this year, I guess.” Chisholm said.
“Baseball is a hard game. Guys go through it to varying degrees,” Boone said. “That’s why you still feel it’s in there for [Chisholm] to get hot during the most important time of the year. He hasn’t had that stretch of two, three, four, six weeks of where he is kind of a carrier. He can do so many things to take over a game on both sides of the ball. Today was a peek into that.”
‘I Sucked All Season’: Jazz Chisholm’s Game-Winning Homer Against Dodgers Is A Sign Of Hope
Boone did sit Chisholm down for a game and took him out of another because a lefty pitcher entered the game. Never once, however, did Boone think about putting him on the bench.
“For us to be at our best, Jazz has to be an important part of it,” Boone said. “You have to pick your spots because we do have good players when you get them in there.”
