When he went down, the second-year second baseman was batting .290 with four home runs and seven stolen bases. Chisholm recorded hits in 14 of the 21 games he played before heading to the injured list with a left hamstring strain.
While he was gone, the Marlins went 7-9, including losses in six of their last eight games entering their matchup with the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon. In those eight games, Miami scored a total of 22 runs, and six of those came in a 9-6 loss on Friday.
But Jazz joined his teammates on Saturday and hit the field on Sunday, and immediately made a difference.
Playing shortstop in his first game back, Jazz went 2-for-5, while scoring a run and stealing a base in a 3-2 win that allowed Miami to salvage one win in the three-game series and stay three games back of the New York Mets in the division standings. The rookie is a difference-maker and his absence proved it.
He was inches away from collecting his third hit of the game in the ninth inning. It took just about everything Gavin Lux had to throw him out after Jazz sent a two-out grounder back up the middle. That play brought out the best in Lux and Chisolm. That’s what baseball is about.
Jazz putting in work in his first game back shouldn’t be a surprise. He mauled Triple-A pitching during his rehab stint with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He slashed .444/.500/.899, with a home run, four RBIs, and three runs scored in nine at-bats.
Some players just have “it.”
You can’t describe “it.” You can’t develop “it.” You can’t fake “it.”
Jazz Chisholm has “it.”
One of the things that every manager wants to see out of a young player is the ability to learn and adjust.
Chisholm was showing that in the last 15 games before his injury. He hit .327 over that stretch, including mashing all four of his home runs, six of his seven RBIs, and four doubles. His OPS was a ridiculous 1.012, and he was slugging better than .600.
Most importantly, the Marlins produced an 8-7 record in those games.
If you’re nitpicking, then yes, Jazz still strikes out too much and walks too little. Just imagine what damage he could do just by raising his on-base percentage to .420.
But remember, he’s only played in 125 games. He hasn’t truly discovered the rhythms of the major league baseball season. Once he gets that experience, it’s not much of a stretch to think that pitchers across baseball will be adjusting the Jazz Chisholm more than he’ll be adjusting to them.
Miami Marlins electrifying shortstop Jazz Chisholm will return to action Tuesday for the Triple-A affiliate Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on rehab assignment.
The game hasn’t been the same since the baseball tornado came up limp with a hammy.
The young phenom returns after sustaining a strained left hamstring in late April. The Marlins say that after a few appearances down in the Minor Leagues, the “Bahamian Blur” could rejoin the team by the end of the week.
General Manager Kim Ng told the Miami Herald that Jazz is “starting to get pushed now.” She added, “the plan is to start the rehab assignments this week with the hopes of a return by the end of the week.”
Over the weekend, the staff of the Marlins tested Chisholm’s’ janky hamstring with base running drills and some live at-bats. The man wearing the yellow shirt in the video examined the usage of his Chisolm’s extremities on the defensive side of the diamond as well, which ultimately led to the rehab assignment for Tuesday.
Manager Don Mattingly told MLB.com, “You want to make sure a guy can play, and he’s going to hold up, and it’s not the next day he’s not feeling it again.” He added, “You don’t want that to happen where it could take another three or four days.”
After placing Chisholm on the 10-day disabled list, fans took note as the Marlins played off-key without their catalyst and emotional sparkplug, losing five out of the next nine games in his absence.
Miami won its first four games to start the homestand, only to lose two straight to the Milwaukee Brewers. They left seven men on base and were 0-6 with runners in scoring position. When facing off-speed pitches of 86 miles per hour or lower, the Marlins are batting 35-221 for a .198 average, ranking 30th in the MLB.
In just 69 at-bats, Chisolm has accounted for 20 hits, 11 runs, seven RBIs, seven stolen bases, and four home runs. He’s batting a fine-tuned .290 with a .375 on-base percentage, and a 551-slugging percentage. His OPS is an impressive .926.
Like a fish out of water, the fins are looking for a breath of fresh air as they begin another three-city, ten-game road trip. So, the smooth sounds of a possible return by the Bahamian Blur is music to the ears of fans.
Listen up for the sweet tunes of Jazz Chisholm as he and the Shrimps take on the Durham Bulls tonight. The first pitch is at 6:35 p.m. EST.
You know you’re bad meaning good, when you take a Jacob deGrom 100 mile per hour heater and deposit it in the upper deck, and then eurostep across home plate like it’s just another day at the office.
We’re just 13 games into the “Jazz Age,” but the arrival of the Bahamian-born rising super bro has been music to the ears of Miami Marlins fans.
Chisholm is in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak, which he extended on Sunday in the Marlins’ 1-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
The 23-year old second baseman has already matched or topped all of his totals from the 2020 season, and he’s done it by utilizing the consistent power and speed that saw him enter the season as one of the top prospects in all of baseball.
During his streak Jazz is batting .435, with three home runs and five RBIs.
Here’s how good Chisholm has been over the past week.
R
H
HR
SB
9
7
9
6
His rise might surprise those who criticized the Marlins for trading pitcher Zac Gallen for him. Gallen has been very good for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he’s just entering his prime.
Before his streak began, Chisholm had been too aggressive at the plate. Over the first 73 at-bats of his young career, he was at a severe disadvantage against big-league pitching. Jazz was out of tune with his swing and his timing; collecting only 12 hits (.164) while striking out 25 times.
That would shake the confidence of most young players. Even if they understand that baseball is a game of failure, nobody’s out there trying to fail.
But Jazz Chisholm isn’t your average young player. The kid drips with charismatic star power and resilience. If Tim Anderson is Nike’s MLB frontman, then Jazz isn’t far behind.
He’s the same young man that announced his arrival in South Florida with the bold proclamation that the Marlins will win a World Series within the next three years.
“Now that I’m here, I really can see it coming. Marlins are gonna win a championship in 2-3 years.”
Though he’s more than happy to be in Miami, he hasn’t forgotten his old team either. Jazz is already looking forward to facing Gallen, and taking him deep.
“I’m not going to lie to you though, the one thing that I really do want to do is take him deep. That’s it,” Chisholm said on the R2C2 podcast with former great CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco. “I know we’re going to Arizona soon, so I want him to be healthy and at 100%, because facing me is going to be a m—–f—– when I get there.”
Add to that his swaying chains, fashion sense, unmistakable blue hair, five-tool talent, and the fact that he’s just the 7th MLB player born in the Bahamas, baseball could have another young, Black superstar on the horizon.
It’s an interesting dynamic to see the fiery, flashy Chisholm under the guidance of Derek Jeter and Don Mattingly among others.
“He’s a really confident kid, plays with a joy that I love,” Mattingly said before the season. “He’s got a smile on his face, high energy, and high talent. This guy is capable of doing a lot. He’s one of those guys that, once he puts his whole package together, this is a superstar. This isn’t like a good player, he has a chance to be a great player and that’s what will help Jazz walk through it day in and day out.”
The Marlins shocked the world by making the playoffs last season and beating the Cubs to get to the NLDS. If Jazz keeps this rhythm, we might be watching the Marlins making some October music once again.
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