Jazz's spark a big reason why Yanks own the East: 'He's impacted us in every way'
Bill Ladson
@ladsonbill24NEW YORK -- Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. is living the dream.
There he is drinking champagne in the team¡¯s locker room Thursday night after the Bronx Bombers defeated the Orioles, 10-1, to win the American League East title. It's a dream come true for Chisholm because he grew up a Yankees fan in the Bahamas.
¡°I¡¯ve been a Yankee for two months. I¡¯m living the life as any Bahamian kid can growing up watching the Yankees," Chisholm said. "They were the only baseball team on TV in the Bahamas.¡±
The Yankees don¡¯t have to look far as to why they won the division. The Deadline deal that helped New York acquire Chisholm from Miami for three Minor Leaguers on July 27 turned out to be a chart topper in the Big Apple. The Yanks are 26-18 when Chisholm is in the lineup.
After the 26-year-old joined them in Boston the day after the trade, the Bronx Bombers found out immediately that Jazz Chisholm Jr. believes in Jazz Chisholm Jr. He has that swag and shows it every time he is about to step on home plate after hitting a homer.
But Chisholm is more than just swag; he brings electricity on the field. The Yankees saw firsthand the tools Chisholm displayed the last two months of the season. He has power (10 homers in 168 at-bats), speed (16 stolen bases) and a willingness to make the transition from center field to third base, a position he never played in his pro career until his second game as a member of the Yankees on July 29 against the Phillies. Chisholm plays the corner position as if he is a 10-year veteran, making diving stops to his left and right without missing a beat.
¡°He has impacted us in every way with the bat, with the glove and on the basepaths,¡± manager Aaron Boone said. ¡°He has brought joy with him to the ballpark every day. I feel like he has fit in very well. I¡¯m really excited we got him, because he brought a different component and is a really well-rounded player.
¡°I think he is a lot more comfortable playing in the dirt [infield]. But to see him embrace third base and work really hard at getting better at it -- as I said all along, there are the occasional growing pains, and he has some of those. But on balance, I think what he has done over there, he has been one of the better defenders in the league over there.¡±
Chisholm is pleased about his contributions on the Yankees, but he will not be satisfied until they win the World Series.
¡°Until that time comes, I¡¯m just waiting and playing my heart out,¡± Chisholm said. ¡°I think we are going to win [the World Series] because I have confidence in my teammates. We also have the best player [Aaron Judge] in baseball on our team. We have one of the top five pitchers [Gerrit Cole]. We have three top 10 players on our team in baseball, [including Juan Soto]. For me, who wouldn¡¯t have confidence in this team to win the World Series?¡±
Chisholm is more than just a player on the field. He brings an element of fun in the clubhouse. Prior to Tuesday¡¯s series opener against the Orioles, Chisholm playfully gave Boone a bear hug near the batting cage, and there was the skipper laughing along.
¡°The guys love him. He fits well in our clubhouse,¡± hitting coach James Rowson said. ¡°He brings a different dimension. His upbeat personality sparks the guys around him. Jazz is infectious. He is happy. He wants to play baseball, so he is great to have around.¡±
This will be the third postseason of Chisholm¡¯s career. He played postseason baseball for the Marlins twice in 2020 and ¡®23. But this year will be different for the man with all the swag in his game.
¡°This postseason means a lot because it¡¯s more of a winning culture here right now, and I feel like the chances of us winning the World Series and the fans behind us -- they know we are going to win,¡± Chisholm said. ¡°That¡¯s the thing that gives me the confidence to keep on going. I know the fans have my back. The whole team has my back. Even the coaches.¡±